BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.J.R. 1

 

By: Burton et al.

 

Education

 

7/21/2017

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

State statute dedicates certain revenue from the Texas Lottery to the Foundation School Fund to support public education through the Foundation School Program. Currently, there are no stipulations on how Texas Lottery revenue deposited to the Foundation School Fund is to be used.

 

Interested parties contend that increases in teacher salaries and bonuses, as well as offsetting any retirement contribution costs to school districts associated with these increases, are effective strategies to attract and retain quality educators for Texas' public schools.

 

S.J.R. 1 provides for the constitutional dedication of net revenues from the Texas Lottery to the Foundation School Fund. The bill also requires 50 percent of these dedicated funds to only be used to fund salary increases and bonuses for certain public school classroom teachers and for retirement contribution costs associated with any increase in salaries associated with salary adjustments authorized by this provision.

 

S.J.R. 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate the net revenue from the state lottery to the foundation school fund, including a portion dedicated to funding salary increases and bonuses for experienced public school classroom teachers and costs associated with school district teacher retirement contributions.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 47, Article III, Texas Constitution, by adding Subsection (f), as follows:

 

(f) Requires that revenue received by the State in each state fiscal year from the operation of lotteries, after the payment of administrative costs, amounts paid for lottery prizes, and any net proceeds paid for veterans' assistance attributable to a lottery game established by law to fund veterans' assistance, be deposited in the Foundation School Fund (FSF) established by law, beginning with the state fiscal year that begins September 1, 2019. Authorizes 50 percent of the funds deposited in the FSF from the operation of lotteries to be used only to fund salary increases and bonuses for public school classroom teachers with at least six years of teaching experience and for the school district teacher retirement contribution costs exclusively associated with salary adjustments authorized by this provision.

 

SECTION 2. Requires that the proposed constitutional amendment be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2017. Sets forth the required language of the ballot.