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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorizing a school district to establish a higher |
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education scholarship endowment; authorizing a tax. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 45, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 45.007 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 45.007. SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT. (a) A |
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school district may impose an ad valorem tax in accordance with this |
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section for the purposes of establishing an endowment to fund |
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higher education scholarships for eligible students of the |
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district. A tax imposed under this section may not exceed three |
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cents per $100 of valuation. |
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(b) A tax under this section must be approved by the voters |
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at an election called by the board of trustees for that purpose. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "Authorizing the board of trustees of (name of school |
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district) to impose an ad valorem tax not to exceed (proposed |
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maximum rate) cents per $100 of taxable property for the purpose of |
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providing higher education scholarships to students of the |
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district." |
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(c) A tax imposed under this section shall be accounted for |
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separately from other revenues of the district and may be used only |
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for the purpose of funding higher education scholarships for |
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students who graduate from high school in the school district. The |
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board of trustees may invest the taxes collected and use the |
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investment income to pay reasonable costs of administering the |
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scholarship endowment program. |
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(d) The board of trustees shall determine the amount of a |
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scholarship provided from funds under this section. When |
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determining the amount of a scholarship provided to an eligible |
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student, the board may consider: |
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(1) the number of years the student attended school in |
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the district; |
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(2) the cost of the higher education program in which |
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the student enrolls; |
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(3) the student's academic record and family |
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resources; |
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(4) available matching funds; or |
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(5) any other criteria established by the board. |
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(e) A scholarship program under this section may not include |
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consideration of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or disability. |
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(f) The board of trustees may create a nonprofit corporation |
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to administer a scholarship program under this section. The board |
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must retain the authority to appoint or remove the trustees of a |
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nonprofit corporation established under this subsection. |
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(g) A tax under this section is not considered part of the |
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school district's maintenance and operations tax for purposes of: |
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(1) the maximum tax rate of the district under Section |
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45.003; |
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(2) the district's tax rate requiring an election |
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under Section 26.08, Tax Code; or |
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(3) the district's state funding or equalized wealth |
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level under Chapter 41 or 42. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |