Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB195 by Garcia (Relating to funding under the transportation allotment for public school students subject to a high risk of violence while walking to school.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time due to the unavailability of data related to the number of students who would be subject to a high risk of violence if they walked to school. The Commissioner of Education would not be required to implement the legislation in the absence of an appropriation.
The bill would authorize a district receiving the transportation allotment under the Foundation School Program to use the allotment for the transportation of children living within two miles of their school who would be subject to a high risk of violence if they walked to school or for programs under which children living in an area subject to a high risk of violence are escorted by adults as they walk to school.
The bill would define an area that presents a high risk of violence if law enforcement records indicate a high incidence of violent crimes in the area.
The number of children living within two miles of their school who would be subject to a high risk of violence if they walked to school is not known. However, as an example, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) indicated in the 2014-15 school year, $9,775,532 was provided under the transportation allotment for the transportation of students who would otherwise be subject to hazardous traffic conditions. If 10 percent of the amount provided to transport children subject to hazardous traffic conditions in fiscal year 2018 was provided to transport students who would be subject to a high risk of violence if they walked, the cost to implement the provisions of the bill would be $977,553 in fiscal year 2018.
The bill would require the Commissioner of Education to implement the provisions of the bill only if the Legislature appropriates funding specifically for that purpose and would allow the agency to implement the provisions using other appropriations if available.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
Districts that choose to provide transportation to students under the provisions of the bill would receive additional funding under the Foundation School Program, although TEA indicates that the amount of funding provided under the provisions of the bill may not cover the full cost of transportation for the affected students.