| |
| |
|
|
A JOINT RESOLUTION
|
|
|
proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the state to pay at |
|
|
least 50 percent of the cost of maintaining and operating the public |
|
|
school system and prohibiting the comptroller from certifying |
|
|
legislation containing an appropriation for public education |
|
|
unless the requirement is met. |
|
|
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 1, Article VII, Texas Constitution, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 1. A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to |
|
|
the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall |
|
|
be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make |
|
|
suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient |
|
|
system of public free schools by providing State funding in an |
|
|
amount that constitutes, as determined by the Legislature, at least |
|
|
50 percent of the cost of maintaining and operating that system. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
|
|
amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(b) Except in the case of emergency and imperative public |
|
|
necessity and with a four-fifths vote of the total membership of |
|
|
each House, no appropriation in excess of the cash and anticipated |
|
|
revenue of the funds from which such appropriation is to be made |
|
|
shall be valid. No bill containing an appropriation shall be |
|
|
considered as passed or be sent to the Governor for consideration |
|
|
until and unless: |
|
|
(1) the Comptroller of Public Accounts endorses the |
|
|
Comptroller's [his] certificate thereon showing that the amount |
|
|
appropriated is within the amount estimated to be available in the |
|
|
affected funds; and |
|
|
(2) if the bill makes an appropriation for the general |
|
|
maintenance and operation of the system of public free schools, the |
|
|
Comptroller additionally certifies that the appropriation, |
|
|
together with all other appropriations made for the general |
|
|
maintenance and operation of that system for the same period, |
|
|
complies with the requirement of Section 1, Article VII, of this |
|
|
constitution. |
|
|
(c) When the Comptroller finds an appropriation bill |
|
|
exceeds the estimated revenue or, if applicable, fails to comply |
|
|
with Section 1, Article VII, of this constitution, the Comptroller |
|
|
[he] shall endorse such finding thereon and return to the House in |
|
|
which same originated. Such information shall be immediately made |
|
|
known to both the House of Representatives and the Senate and the |
|
|
necessary steps shall be taken to, as applicable: |
|
|
(1) bring such appropriation to within the revenue, |
|
|
either by providing additional revenue or reducing the |
|
|
appropriation; or |
|
|
(2) comply with Section 1, Article VII, of this |
|
|
constitution. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
|
|
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2019. |
|
|
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
|
|
proposition: "The constitutional amendment requiring the state to |
|
|
pay at least 50 percent of the cost of maintaining and operating the |
|
|
public school system and prohibiting the comptroller from |
|
|
certifying legislation containing an appropriation for public |
|
|
education unless the requirement is met." |