FISCAL NOTE, 85TH LEGISLATURE 1st CALLED SESSION - 2017
July 31, 2017
TO:
Honorable Dan Huberty, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB54 by Thierry (Relating to requiring a school district to reimburse classroom teachers at certain grade levels for the cost of classroom supplies purchased with personal money.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Education Code to require school districts to reimburse each classroom teacher instructing students enrolled at or below the sixth grade level up to $600 per school year for the cost of classroom supplies purchased with personal money for the benefit of the district's students. The bill would further allow a classroom teacher to be reimbursed under the classroom supply reimbursement program currently established under Education Code, Section 21.414, for the cost of purchases eligible for reimbursement for which a teacher is not reimbursed by the district.
The bill would take effect immediately if passed with necessary voting margins, or the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session, and would apply beginning with school year 2017-2018.
Local Government Impact
Based on TEA's estimate of 178,751 classroom teachers instructing grades 6 and below in school year 2016-17, the maximum cost statewide to school districts to reimburse all eligible teachers for their expenses would be approximately $107.3 million annually (178,751 x $600). Costs would be lower to the extent that teachers do not seek reimbursement at the maximum level.