Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1216 by Bettencourt (Relating to abolishing certain county boards of education, boards of county school trustees, and offices of county school superintendent.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would abolish each county board of education, board of county school trustees, and office of county school superintendent in counties with populations of 3.3 million. The provisions of the bill would affect the Harris County Department of Education. The bill would transfer all assets, liabilities, and contracts to the commissioners court of the county in trust for the component school districts in the county. The bill would require the commissioners court to liquidate board assets and distribute such assets not later than September 1, 2016. The bill would require component school districts of an abolished board to collect and use any delinquent taxes imposed by the board in the manner provided by commissioner of education rule. The bill would take effect September 1, 2015.
No significant fiscal implication to the Texas Education Agency or Texas Workforce Commission is anticipated.
Local Government Impact
Based on information provided by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the Gulf Coast Local Workforce Development Board would be required to transition existing services for Adult Education and Literacy program customers currently served by the Harris County Department of Education; however, TWC anticipates these costs could be absorbed using existing resources.
Based on information provided by the Texas Education Agency, Harris County school districts would receive a proportional distribution of assets remaining after discharging the board's liabilities.
Based on information provided by Harris County, the bill would be revenue neutral and is not anticipated to have a fiscal impact.
Source Agencies:
320 Texas Workforce Commission, 701 Central Education Agency