By:  Barrientos                                                 S.C.R. No. 32 



SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, Approximately two out of every five students of the 
freshman class of 1998-1999 left school prior to graduating from a 
Texas public high school in 2001-2002; and
	WHEREAS, Between 1985-1986 and 2001-2002 school years, 
nearly 2 million students have been lost from public school 
enrollment with estimated cumulative costs for public school 
dropouts in the state of Texas in excess of $488 billion; and
	WHEREAS, The enormity of the dropout problem has ominous 
implications for the future of Texas, considering that 88.4% of the 
prison population has not completed the twelfth grade, and  out of 
this population, 16.5% did not reach the fifth grade.  It is 
estimated that dropouts make up nearly half the heads of households 
on welfare; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby establish a special interim committee to study the problem 
of high school dropouts in Texas; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the interim study committee be named the Joint 
Special Committee on High School Dropouts; and be it further
	RESOLVED, That the committee be composed of 10 members:  five 
members of the senate to be appointed by the lieutenant governor and 
five members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the 
speaker of the house of representatives; the speaker of the house of 
representatives and lieutenant governor shall each designate a 
cochair from among their appointees; the committee shall meet 
initially at the joint call of the cochairs, and the committee shall 
subsequently hold meetings and public hearings at the call of the 
cochairs; and, be it further 
	RESOLVED, That the committee have the power to issue process 
as provided by the senate and house of representatives rules of 
procedure and by the senate and house of representatives rules of 
procedure and by Section 301.024, Government Code; and, be it 
further
	RESOLVED, That the committee have all other powers and duties 
provided to special committees by the senate and house of 
representatives rules of procedure, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, 
Government Code, and by the policies of the committees on 
administration; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That, from the contingent expense fund of the 
senate and the contingent expense fund of the house of 
representatives equally, the members of the committee be reimbursed 
for expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this 
resolution in accordance with the senate and house of 
representative rules of procedure and the policies of the 
committees on administration and that other necessary expenses of 
operation be paid from the contingent expense fund of the senate and 
the contingent expense fund of the house of representatives 
equally; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the interim study committee make a complete 
report, including findings and recommendations and drafts of any 
legislation considering necessary, to the 79th Legislature when it 
convenes in January 2005; five copies of the completed report shall 
be filed in the Legislative Reference Library; five copies shall be 
filed with the Texas Legislative Council; two copies shall be filed 
with the secretary of the senate; and two copies shall be filed with 
the speaker of the house of representatives; following official 
distribution of the committee report, all remaining copies shall be 
deposited with the legislative reference librarian.