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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of |
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general obligation bonds to finance educational loans to students |
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and for authority to enter into bond enhancement agreements with |
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respect to general obligation bonds issued for that purpose. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
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adding Sections 50b-7 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 50b-7. ADDITIONAL STUDENT LOANS. (a) The legislature |
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by general law may authorize the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board or its successor or successors to issue and sell |
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general obligation bonds of the State of Texas for the purpose of |
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financing educational loans to students in the manner provided by |
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law in a principal amount of outstanding bonds that must at all |
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times be equal to or less than the aggregate principal amount of |
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state general obligation bonds previously authorized for those |
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purposes by any other provision or former provision of this |
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constitution authorizing similar bonds. |
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(b) The bonds shall be executed in the form, on the terms, |
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and in the denominations, bear interest, and be issued in |
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installments as prescribed by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board or its successor or successors. |
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(c) The maximum net effective interest rate to be borne by |
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bonds issued under this section may not exceed the maximum rate |
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provided by law. |
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(d) The legislature may provide for the investment of bond |
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proceeds and may establish and provide for the investment of an |
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interest and sinking fund to pay the bonds. Income from the |
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investment shall be used for the purposes prescribed by the |
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legislature. |
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(e) While any of the bonds issued under this section or |
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interest on the bonds is outstanding and unpaid, there is |
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appropriated out of the first money coming into the treasury in each |
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fiscal year, not otherwise appropriated by this constitution, the |
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amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds |
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that mature or become due during the fiscal year, less any amount |
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remaining in an interest and sinking fund established under this |
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section at the end of the preceding fiscal year that is pledged to |
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the payment of the bonds or interest. |
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(f) Bonds issued under this section, after approval by the |
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attorney general, registration by the comptroller of public |
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accounts, and delivery to the purchasers, are incontestable. |
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SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held on the earlier of |
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the first date on which another election on a constitutional |
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amendment proposed by the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, |
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is held or November 8, 2011. The ballot shall be printed to permit |
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voting for or against the proposition: "The constitutional |
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amendment providing for the issuance of general obligation bonds of |
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the State of Texas for the purpose of financing educational loans to |
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students." |