Floor Packet Page No. 190
Amend CSHB 2 on page 72, between lines 5 and 6, by adding the
following new SECTION, appropriately numbered, and renumbering
subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION 2B.___. Chapter 13, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter H to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER H. STUDY OF CONSOLIDATION AND OTHER METHODS
FOR IMPROVING EFFICIENCY
Sec. 13.301. BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION TO STUDY EFFICIENCY.
(a) A blue ribbon commission is established to study methods
designed to improve efficiency in public education. The commission
shall concentrate on studying consolidation of school districts to
determine any costs or savings and any effect on the quality of
public education in this state that would result from
consolidation. The commission shall also study other methods
designed to improve efficiency to determine whether those methods
would result in quantifiable cost savings in public education while
maintaining or improving the quality of public education.
(b) The commission is composed of seven members as follows:
(1) two members appointed by the governor;
(2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house
of representatives; and
(4) the commissioner of education.
(c) The governor shall appoint as presiding officer of the
commission a member of the commission, other than the commissioner
of education.
(d) The agency shall serve as the commission's staff. The
comptroller, Legislative Budget Board, and school districts shall
cooperate with the commission in conducting the study.
(e) Not later than December 31, 2006, the commission shall
submit to the legislature a report based on the commission's study
under this section. The report must include:
(1) a discussion of consolidation of school districts
and other methods designed to improve efficiency that the
commission studied;
(2) any recommendations the commission has concerning
methods that the commission studied and determined would result in
quantifiable cost savings in public education while maintaining or
improving the quality of public education; and
(3) the amount of cost savings determined to be
associated with a method recommended under Subdivision (2).
Sec. 13.302. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires January
15, 2007.