83R4398 KKA-D
 
  By: Bonnen of Brazoria H.B. No. 3072
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the cost-effectiveness of the manner in which a school
  district chooses to collect the district's taxes.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 39.083(b) and (c), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The annual financial management report must include:
               (1)  a description of the district's financial
  management performance based on a comparison, provided by the
  agency, of the district's performance on the indicators adopted
  under Section 39.082(b) to:
                     (A)  state-established standards; and
                     (B)  the district's previous performance on the
  indicators;
               (2)  a description of the data submitted using the
  electronic-based program developed under Section 39.0822;
               (3)  information concerning the district's tax
  collections, including, if the district employs a person to collect
  the district's taxes as authorized by Section 45.231(a),
  information concerning:
                     (A)  the compensation provided to the person and
  other costs associated with collecting the district's taxes in that
  manner; and
                     (B)  whether the costs described by Paragraph (A)
  are estimated to be less than the costs that would be associated
  with collection of the district's taxes by the county
  assessor-collector as authorized by Section 45.231(b); and
               (4) [(3)]  any descriptive information required by the
  commissioner.
         (c)  The report may include:
               (1)  information concerning the district's:
                     (A)  financial allocations;
                     (B)  [tax collections;
                     [(C)]  financial strength;
                     (C) [(D)]  operating cost management;
                     (D) [(E)]  personnel management;
                     (E) [(F)]  debt management;
                     (F) [(G)]  facility acquisition and construction
  management;
                     (G) [(H)]  cash management;
                     (H) [(I)]  budgetary planning;
                     (I) [(J)]  overall business management;
                     (J) [(K)]  compliance with rules; and
                     (K) [(L)]  data quality; and
               (2)  any other information the board of trustees
  determines to be necessary or useful.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 42.2527 to read as follows:
         Sec. 42.2527.  ADJUSTMENT FOR CERTAIN TAX COLLECTION
  METHODS. (a) On determination that a school district, in employing
  a person to collect the district's taxes as authorized by Section
  45.231(a), incurs annual costs that are greater than the annual
  costs that would be associated with collection of the district's
  taxes by the county assessor-collector as authorized by Section
  45.231(b), the commissioner may, notwithstanding any other
  provision of this title:
               (1)  reduce the amounts due to the district under this
  chapter; or
               (2)  increase the amounts necessary for the district to
  comply with the requirements of Chapter 41.
         (b)  The amount of an adjustment under this section in any
  year may not exceed the amount equal to the difference between the
  annual costs incurred by the district in collecting taxes and the
  annual costs that would be associated with collection of the
  district's taxes by the county assessor-collector.
         SECTION 3.  (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
  section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
         (b)  Section 42.2527, Education Code, as added by this Act,
  takes effect September 1, 2014.