BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1551

By: Howard

Appropriations

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to interested parties, the timing and amount of transfers from the real estate special fund to the available school fund and to the portion of the permanent school fund controlled by the State Board of Education (SBOE) are unpredictable, a problem identified in a report prepared by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB). The report indicates that this unpredictability, among other factors, diminishes the information available to the legislature to make appropriation decisions and the SBOE's ability to determine the appropriate contribution rate from the permanent school fund to the available school fund. H.B. 1551 seeks to follow the LBB's recommendations and address this issue.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the School Land Board in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1551 amends the Natural Resources Code to require the School Land Board to adopt rules to establish the procedure that will be used by the board to determine the date a transfer will be made from the real estate special fund account to the available school fund or to the State Board of Education (SBOE) for investment in the permanent school fund and the amount of money that will be transferred. The bill requires the board, not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, to submit to the legislature, comptroller of public accounts, SBOE, and Legislative Budget Board a report that, specifically and in detail, states the date such a transfer will be made and the amount of money the board will transfer during the subsequent state fiscal biennium.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.