88R21716 JES-F
 
  By: King of Hemphill H.J.R. No. 170
 
 
 
A JOINT RESOLUTION
  proposing a constitutional amendment creating the state school
  safety fund to provide financial support for projects that enhance
  the safety of public schools in this state.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article VII, Texas Constitution, is amended by
  adding Section 7 to read as follows:
         Sec. 7.  (a)  The state school safety fund is created as a
  special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue
  fund. Money in the state school safety fund shall be administered,
  without further appropriation, by the Texas Permanent School Fund
  Corporation or that corporation's successor in function. In
  accordance with general law, the state school safety fund may be
  used only to support projects to enhance the safety of public
  schools in this state, including projects to ensure public schools
  meet school safety standards established by the Texas Education
  Agency or that agency's successor in function. Separate accounts
  may be established in the state school safety fund as necessary or
  convenient to administer the fund or the supported projects.
         (b)  The legislature by general law may authorize the Texas
  Permanent School Fund Corporation or that corporation's successor
  in function to provide money from the state school safety fund to
  the Texas Education Agency or that agency's successor in function
  for purposes of providing financial assistance, including by direct
  grant to an independent school district or open-enrollment charter
  school, for projects described under Subsection (a) of this
  section.
         (c)  The state school safety fund consists of:
               (1)  money appropriated to the fund;
               (2)  money transferred or deposited to the credit of
  the fund by general law, including money from any source
  transferred or deposited to the credit of the fund at the discretion
  of the Texas Permanent School Fund Corporation or the Texas
  Education Agency or that corporation's or agency's successor in
  function as authorized by general law;
               (3)  revenue from any source that the legislature by
  statute dedicates for deposit to the credit of the fund;
               (4)  investment earnings and interest earned on amounts
  credited to the fund;
               (5)  money appropriated by the legislature for the
  purposes of funding public schools that is determined by the
  commissioner of education to exceed the amount required for the
  support and maintenance of public schools, including amounts to
  which the public schools of this state are entitled under general
  law; and
               (6)  money transferred to the fund from another fund or
  account to which money from the fund was transferred, as authorized
  by general law.
         (d)  The legislature by general law shall provide for the
  manner in which money in the state school safety fund may be used,
  subject to the limitations provided by this section. The
  legislature by general law may provide for costs of investment and
  administration of the state school safety fund to be paid from the
  fund.
         (e)  For the purposes of Section 22, Article VIII, of this
  constitution, an appropriation of money from the economic
  stabilization fund for the purpose of depositing that money to the
  credit of the state school safety fund is considered to be an
  appropriation of state tax revenues dedicated by this constitution.
         (f)  This section is intended to establish a basic framework
  of the state school safety fund, and the legislature by general law
  may provide for the implementation and effectuate the design and
  objects of this section and may delegate duties, responsibilities,
  functions, and authority to the Texas Permanent School Fund
  Corporation or the Texas Education Agency or that corporation's or
  agency's successor in function for those purposes.
         SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.
  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
  proposition: "The constitutional amendment creating the state
  school safety fund to provide financial support for projects that
  enhance the safety of public schools in this state."