Amend CSSB 778 (Senate Committee Printing) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____.  Section 56.310, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(d)  Notwithstanding any other law, the amount appropriated for the TEXAS grant program under this subchapter for a state fiscal biennium may not exceed the amount appropriated for the program in the preceding state fiscal biennium, as that amount is adjusted for inflation. Not later than January 31 of each odd-numbered year, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the Legislative Budget Board shall publish and certify to the legislature the inflation rate to be used for purposes of this subsection for the next state fiscal biennium. The inflation rate is the percentage increase, if any, as expressed in decimal form rounded to the nearest thousandth of one percent, in the consumer price index, as defined by Section 341.201, Finance Code, for the preceding state fiscal biennium as compared to the consumer price index for the biennium preceding that biennium.

SECTION ____.  Section 56.310(d), Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with appropriations for the TEXAS grant program under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2019.