RESOLUTION ANALYSIS

H.J.R. 112

By: King, Tracy O.

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that the public lands managed by Webb County on behalf of its public school districts could be more effectively managed by the districts themselves because the districts, unlike the county, would directly benefit from that effective management and would have an incentive to maximize revenues. H.J.R. 112 seeks to authorize such a transfer of management to a committee of the districts' boards of trustees.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this resolution 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 resolution does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.J.R. 112 proposes an amendment to the Texas Constitution to authorize Webb County to enter into an agreement with the public school districts for which the county holds lands in trust under which the county delegates to a committee consisting of members of the districts' boards of trustees the authority to do the following:

·       sell, lease, manage, or otherwise dispose of the lands held in trust;

·       develop or sell the rights to natural resources or minerals in the lands held in trust; and

·       invest and manage all or part of the proceeds of the county's permanent school fund.

H.J.R. 112 provides for the composition of the committee and requires the proceeds from an authorized disposition of land to be held by the county as a trust for the benefit of the applicable districts.

ELECTION DATE

The constitutional amendment proposed by this joint resolution will be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2019.