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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a commission to recommend improvements |
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to the public school finance system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter L to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER L. TEXAS COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE |
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Sec. 42.601. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "commission" |
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means the Texas Commission on Public School Finance. |
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Sec. 42.602. TEXAS COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE. |
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(a) The Texas Commission on Public School Finance is established |
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to develop and make recommendations for improvements to the current |
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public school finance system or for new methods of financing public |
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schools. |
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(b) The commission is composed of 15 members, consisting of |
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the following: |
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(1) five members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) five members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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and |
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(3) five members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives. |
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(c) The members appointed by the governor must have a |
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background in public education and include: |
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(1) an administrator in the public school system; |
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(2) a person with a substantive background in state |
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and local taxation; |
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(3) a member of the business community; and |
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(4) a member of the civic community. |
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(d) The appointments made by the lieutenant governor and the |
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speaker of the house of representatives must each consist of: |
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(1) three members of the applicable legislative |
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chamber, including the presiding officer of the standing committee |
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of each chamber with jurisdiction over public education or a |
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representative of the presiding officer designated by the presiding |
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officer; |
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(2) an administrator in the public school system or an |
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elected member of the board of trustees of a school district; and |
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(3) a person who is a current or retired classroom |
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teacher with at least 10 years of teaching experience, provided |
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that one of the persons appointed under this subdivision must |
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specialize or have specialized in special education, bilingual |
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education, or career and technology education. |
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(e) In making appointments, the governor, lieutenant |
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governor, and speaker of the house of representatives shall |
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coordinate to ensure that the membership of the commission |
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reflects, to the extent possible, the ethnic and geographic |
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diversity of this state. |
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Sec. 42.603. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall |
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designate the presiding officer of the commission. |
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Sec. 42.604. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of |
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the commission is not entitled to compensation for service on the |
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commission but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and |
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necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties. |
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Sec. 42.605. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING. |
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(a) Staff members of the agency shall provide administrative |
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support for the commission. |
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(b) Funding for the administrative and operational expenses |
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of the commission shall be provided by appropriation to the agency |
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for that purpose. |
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Sec. 42.606. RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The commission shall |
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develop recommendations under this subchapter to address issues |
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related to the public school finance system, including: |
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(1) the purpose of the public school finance system |
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and the relationship between state and local funding in that |
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system; |
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(2) the appropriate levels of local maintenance and |
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operations and interest and sinking fund tax effort necessary to |
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implement a public school finance system that complies with the |
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requirements under the Texas Constitution; and |
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(3) policy changes to the public school finance system |
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necessary to adjust for student demographics and the geographic |
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diversity in the state. |
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(b) The commission may establish one or more working groups |
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composed of not more than five members of the commission to study, |
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discuss, and address specific policy issues and recommendations to |
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refer to the commission for consideration. |
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Sec. 42.607. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2018, the |
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commission shall prepare and deliver a report to the governor and |
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the legislature that recommends statutory changes to improve the |
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public school finance system, including any adjustments to funding |
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to account for student demographics. |
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Sec. 42.608. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION. |
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(a) The commission may hold public meetings as needed to fulfill |
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its duties under this subchapter. |
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(b) The commission is subject to Chapters 551 and 552, |
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Government Code. |
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Sec. 42.609. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION OF |
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SUBCHAPTER. (a) The commission is abolished January 8, 2019. |
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(b) This subchapter expires January 8, 2019. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than the 30th day after the effective |
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date of this Act, the appropriate persons shall make the |
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appointments and designations required by Section 42.602, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. 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 on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |