BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1048
86R11240 SRS-D	By: Fallon
	Property Tax
	3/18/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Far more Texans vote on the November uniform election date than in any other election. Yet elections for trustees of most of the school districts responsible for educating Texas children are held in May, when very few voters are likely to vote. Although Texans pay more in property taxes to their local school district than to any other entity, elections for the officials who decide how this money is spent are held when few voters participate.

Moreover, school districts often hold bond elections to authorize hundreds of millions of dollars in debt on days when no other election is being held and very few voters are even aware of the election, much less vote in it.

S.B. 1048 would require all elections for trustees of independent school districts, and all elections for the issuance of bonds by independent school districts to be held on the November uniform election date, when more Texans vote.

As proposed, S.B. 1048 amends current law relating to an independent school district holding elections on the November uniform election date.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 11.0581(a), Education Code, as follows:

(a) Requires an election for trustees of an independent school district to be held on the November uniform election date. Deletes existing text relating to other provisions for setting the election date.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 41.012, Education Code, as follows:

Sec. 41.012. DATE OF ELECTIONS. Requires an election under this chapter for voter approval of an agreement entered by the board of trustees to be held on the November uniform election date. Deletes text relating to other provisions for setting the election date.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 41.253(b), Election Code, to require the transitional board of trustees to order an election for the initial board of trustees to be held on the first November, rather than May, uniform election date after the effective date of a consolidation order.

SECTION 4. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 41, Election Code, by adding Section 41.0051, as follows:

Sec. 41.0051. INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTION TO ISSUE BONDS. Requires an election for the issuance of bonds by an independent school district, notwithstanding any other law, to held on the November uniform election date.

SECTION 5. Amends Section 41.0052, Election Code, by adding Subsection (a-3), as follows:

(a-3) Requires the governing body of an independent school district that holds its general election for officers on a date other than the November uniform election date to, not later than December 31, 2019, change the date on which it holds its general election for officers to the November uniform election date. Provides that this section expires January 1, 2020.

SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 2019.