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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment creating the state school |
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health and safety fund to provide financial support for projects |
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that improve the physical and mental health of public school |
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students and enhance the safety of public schools in this state. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article VII, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
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adding Section 7 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 7. (a) The state school health and safety fund is |
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created as a special fund in the state treasury outside the general |
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revenue fund. Money in the state school health and safety fund shall |
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be administered, without further appropriation, by the Texas |
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Permanent School Fund Corporation or that corporation's successor |
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in function. In accordance with general law, the state school |
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health and safety fund may be used only to support projects to |
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improve the physical and mental health of public school students |
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and enhance the safety of public schools in this state, including |
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projects to ensure public schools meet school health and safety |
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standards established by the Texas Education Agency or that |
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agency's successor in function. Separate accounts may be |
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established in the state school health and safety fund as necessary |
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or convenient to administer the fund or the supported projects. |
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(b) The legislature by general law may authorize the Texas |
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Permanent School Fund Corporation or that corporation's successor |
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in function to provide money from the state school health and safety |
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fund to the Texas Education Agency or that agency's successor in |
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function for purposes of providing financial assistance, including |
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by direct grant to an independent school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school, for projects described under |
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Subsection (a) of this section. |
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(c) The state school health and safety fund consists of: |
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(1) money appropriated to the fund; |
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(2) money transferred or deposited to the credit of |
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the fund by general law, including money from any source |
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transferred or deposited to the credit of the fund at the discretion |
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of the Texas Permanent School Fund Corporation or the Texas |
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Education Agency or that corporation's or agency's successor in |
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function as authorized by general law; |
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(3) revenue from any source that the legislature by |
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statute dedicates for deposit to the credit of the fund; |
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(4) investment earnings and interest earned on amounts |
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credited to the fund; |
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(5) money appropriated by the legislature for the |
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purposes of funding public schools that is determined by the |
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commissioner of education to exceed the amount required for the |
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support and maintenance of public schools, including amounts to |
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which the public schools of this state are entitled under general |
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law; and |
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(6) money transferred to the fund from another fund or |
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account to which money from the fund was transferred, as authorized |
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by general law. |
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(d) The legislature by general law shall provide for the |
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manner in which money in the state school health and safety fund may |
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be used, subject to the limitations provided by this section. The |
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legislature by general law may provide for costs of investment and |
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administration of the state school health and safety fund to be paid |
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from the fund. |
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(e) For the purposes of Section 22, Article VIII, of this |
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constitution, an appropriation of money from the economic |
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stabilization fund for the purpose of depositing that money to the |
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credit of the state school health and safety fund is considered to |
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be an appropriation of state tax revenues dedicated by this |
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constitution. |
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(f) This section is intended to establish a basic framework |
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of the state school health and safety fund, and the legislature by |
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general law may provide for the implementation and effectuate the |
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design and objects of this section and may delegate duties, |
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responsibilities, functions, and authority to the Texas Permanent |
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School Fund Corporation or the Texas Education Agency or that |
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corporation's or agency's successor in function for those purposes. |
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SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2025. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment creating the state |
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school health and safety fund to provide financial support for |
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projects that improve the physical and mental health of public |
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school students and enhance the safety of public schools in this |
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state." |