BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1353

By: Taylor, Larry

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that a school district to which an academically unacceptable school district is annexed currently is not provided funding specifically for increased costs of facility renovation, repair, and replacement. The purpose of S.B. 1353 is to provide for such funding.  

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

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1353 amends the Education Code to set the duration of additional state aid for a public school district to which an adjoining district rated as academically unacceptable is annexed by the commissioner of education on or after July 1, 2016, at five years, beginning with the school year in which the annexation occurs. The bill limits the purpose of the aid to assistance with the costs of facility renovation, repair, and replacement. The bill removes the provision entitling a district to additional state aid in an amount based on the annual debt service required to meet the indebtedness incurred by the district due to the annexation. The bill instead requires the commissioner to determine the amount of additional state aid provided each year by dividing the amount of debt service taxes received by the district during the tax year preceding the tax year in which the annexation occurs by the number of students enrolled in the district immediately preceding the date of annexation and multiplying that result by the number of additional students enrolled in the district on September 1 after the date of annexation. The bill requires the commissioner to provide the additional state aid from funds appropriated for purposes of the foundation school program and available for that purpose, establishes the commissioner's determination of the amount of additional aid to which an applicable district is entitled as final, and prohibits appeal of such determination. The bill establishes that the commissioner is required to implement the bill only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not make such appropriation, the commissioner may, but is not required to, implement the bill using other appropriations available for the purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.