Amend CSHB 2237 by adding the following appropriately 
numbered SECTIONS and renumbering the subsequent SECTIONS of the 
bill accordingly:
	SECTION ___.  Subchapter C, Chapter 7, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 7.062 to read as follows:
	Sec. 7.062.  SCIENCE LABORATORY GRANT PROGRAM.  (a)  In this 
section, "wealth per student" means a school district's taxable 
value of property as determined under Subchapter M, Chapter 403, 
Government Code, or, if applicable, Section 42.2521, divided by the 
district's average daily attendance as determined under Section 
42.005.
	(b)  Using funds appropriated for that purpose, the 
commissioner shall establish a program to provide competitive 
grants to school districts for the purpose of constructing or 
renovating high school science laboratories.
	(c)  The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to 
implement the program, including rules addressing eligibility, 
application procedures, and accountability for use of grant funds.
	(d)  The rules must:                                                    
		(1)  limit the amount of assistance provided through a 
grant to not more than:
			(A)  for a construction project, $200 per square 
foot of the science laboratory to be constructed; or
			(B)  for a renovation project, $100 per square 
foot of the science laboratory to be renovated;
		(2)  require a school district to demonstrate, as a 
condition of eligibility for a grant, that the existing district 
science laboratories are insufficient in number to comply with the 
curriculum requirements imposed for the recommended and advanced 
high school programs under Section 28.025(b-1)(1); and
		(3)  provide for ranking school districts that apply 
for grants on the basis of wealth per student and giving priority in 
the award of grants to districts with low wealth per student.
	SECTION ___.  Subchapter C, Chapter 46, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 46.062 to read as follows:
	Sec. 46.062.  REFINANCING REQUIRED.  (a)  In this section, 
"total debt service" means the amount of principal and unpaid 
interest on a bond from issuance to final maturity.
	(b)  A school district that receives state assistance under 
Subchapter A or B for payment of the principal of and interest on 
eligible bonds shall refinance the indebtedness evidenced by the 
eligible bonds if the refinancing would reduce the total debt 
service for the bonds by at least three percent.
	(c)  A school district described by Subsection (b) must 
evaluate on a regular basis whether savings at the level specified 
by that subsection may be achieved by the district.
	(d)  A school district may achieve the refinancing required 
under this section by issuing refunding bonds or entering into 
another appropriate financial transaction.  To the extent that a 
district may achieve the refinancing through a method that results 
in relatively significant immediate savings, as opposed to gradual 
savings over an extended period of time, the district shall give 
preference to that method.
	(e)  If the agency determines that a school district has 
potentially failed to refinance indebtedness as required by this 
section, the agency shall notify the district of the agency's 
determination and request that the district, not later than the 
90th day after the date of notification:
		(1)  complete refinancing the indebtedness and provide 
evidence of the completion to the agency; or
		(2)  demonstrate to the agency's satisfaction that 
refinancing is not required by this section.
	(f)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a 
school district that fails to comply with Subsection (e)(1) or (2) 
is, until the district complies to the agency's satisfaction, 
ineligible for state assistance under Subchapter A or B for payment 
of the principal of and interest on eligible bonds, other than 
refunding bonds, that are issued by the district after the date on 
which the district is determined by the agency to have failed to 
comply.
	(g)  Before each regular session of the legislature, the 
Legislative Budget Board, in conjunction with the calculation of 
the funding elements required under Section 42.007, shall determine 
the amount by which the amount to be appropriated for the school 
facilities programs under this chapter may be reduced as a result of 
refinancing required under this section.  The amount of money that 
is not required to be appropriated for the school facilities 
programs as a result of refinancing, as determined by the board, may 
be appropriated only for the purpose of providing grants under 
Section 7.062.
	(h)  The commissioner shall adopt rules implementing this 
section, including rules specifying the manner and frequency of the 
evaluation required under Subsection (c).