85R5004 CAE-D
 
  By: Creighton S.B. No. 1605
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the availability of certain school district financial
  information on certain districts' Internet websites.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 44, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter D to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER D.  FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
         Sec. 44.101.  APPLICABILITY.  This subchapter applies only
  to a school district that is ranked among the 50 highest in student
  enrollment, as determined by the commissioner.
         Sec. 44.102.  FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE. (a) A school district
  shall maintain on the district's Internet website an electronic
  database of district finances. The database must include:
               (1)  for the immediately preceding fiscal year:
                     (A)  total expenditures as a dollar amount and a
  dollar amount per student in average daily attendance;
                     (B)  total revenue as a dollar amount and a dollar
  amount per student in average daily attendance;
                     (C)  total revenue from property taxes as a dollar
  amount and a dollar amount per student in average daily attendance;
  and
                     (D)  the total number of full-time equivalent
  positions for the district;
               (2)  in a searchable electronic format, the district's
  approved budget for the current fiscal year and each of the four
  preceding fiscal years that, for each budget:
                     (A)  identifies by name the accounts and divisions
  of all money held or disbursed by the district; 
                     (B)  includes all revenue and expenditures in the
  district's budget; and
                     (C)  includes all combined accounts; 
               (3)  the district's annual financial report for the
  preceding five fiscal years;
               (4)  in a searchable electronic format, the transaction
  register for each district checking account, including:
                     (A)  for each check written from a district
  checking account:
                           (i)  the transaction amount;
                           (ii)  the name of the payee;
                           (iii)  the date the check was issued; and
                           (iv)  a statement of the purpose of the
  expenditure for which the check was written;
                     (B)  monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual totals
  for all expenditures;
                     (C)  any electronic fund transfers;
                     (D)  all payroll direct deposits; and
                     (E)  any bank drafts for bond or loan payments;
               (5)  a visualization chart depicting district
  financial data trends for the preceding five fiscal years that
  shows for each fiscal year:
                     (A)  total expenditures per student in average
  daily attendance;
                     (B)  total revenue per student in average daily
  attendance; and
                     (C)  the district property tax rate expressed in
  dollars per $100 valuation;
               (6)  an explanation of terminology used on the
  database, as appropriate;
               (7)  contact information for the district and members
  of the board of trustees of the district; and
               (8)  a link to a web page maintained by the district
  that provides instructions for submitting a request for information
  under Chapter 552, Government Code.
         (b)  District budget data must be formatted in a manner that
  allows any person using the district's Internet website to perform
  an analysis of the data.
         (c)  The district's financial report for the current fiscal
  year must be posted not later than the first anniversary of the end
  of the fiscal year.
         (d)  A school district shall:
               (1)  update the electronic checking account
  transaction register at least once each month, not later than the
  30th day after the closing date of the most recent monthly statement
  for the checking account;
               (2)  maintain each transaction or listing in the
  electronic checking account transaction register on the district's
  Internet website until at least the third anniversary of the date of
  the transaction or listing; and
               (3)  for each fiscal year that transactions and
  listings are included in the electronic checking account
  transaction register, group together the transactions and listings
  by fiscal year.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.