Bill Text: TX HB3531 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to state fiscal matters related to public education; authorizing a fee.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-31 - Referred to Appropriations [HB3531 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB3531-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Ashby H.B. No. 3531
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to state fiscal matters related to public education;
  authorizing a fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
  ARTICLE 1. REDUCTION OF EXPENDITURES AND IMPOSITION OF FEES OR
  CHARGES GENERALLY
         SECTION 1.01.  This article applies to the Texas Education
  Agency, the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the
  Texas School for the Deaf, and the Teacher Retirement System of
  Texas.
         SECTION 1.02.  Notwithstanding any other statute of this
  state, each entity to which this article applies is authorized to
  reduce or recover expenditures by:
               (1)  consolidating any reports or publications the
  entity is required to make and filing or delivering any of those
  reports or publications exclusively by electronic means;
               (2)  extending the effective period of any license,
  permit, or registration the entity grants or administers;
               (3)  entering into a contract with another governmental
  entity or with a private vendor to carry out any of the entity's
  duties;
               (4)  modifying the services provided to and the
  eligibility requirements, including the procedures to determine
  eligibility, for persons who receive benefits under any federal or
  state law the entity administers to ensure that those benefits are
  received by the most deserving persons consistent with the purposes
  for which the benefits are provided;
               (5)  providing that any communication between the
  entity and another person and any document required to be delivered
  to or by the entity, including any application, notice, billing
  statement, receipt, or certificate, may be made or delivered by
  e-mail or through the Internet; and
               (6)  adopting and collecting fees or charges to cover
  any costs the entity incurs in performing its lawful functions.
  ARTICLE 2. REDUCTION IN GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT
         SECTION 2.01.  An employee of an entity described by Section
  1.01 of this Act is not entitled to an amount from the state for
  expenses, including office expenses or reimbursement of office
  expenses, per diem, travel, or a salary or salary supplement that
  exceeds the amount authorized for those purposes by the General
  Appropriations Act.
  ARTICLE 3. FISCAL MATTERS RELATED TO PUBLIC EDUCATION
         SECTION 3.01.  Section 21.4021(a), Education Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Notwithstanding Section 21.401 and subject to Section
  21.4022, the board of trustees of a school district may, in
  accordance with district policy, implement a furlough program and
  reduce the number of days of service otherwise required under
  Section 21.401 by not more than seven [six] days of service during a
  school year if the commissioner certifies in accordance with
  Section 42.009 that the district will be provided with less state
  and local funding for that year than was provided to the district
  for the 2016-2017 [2010-2011] school year.
         SECTION 3.02.  Section 25.112(a), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  Except as otherwise authorized by this section, a school
  district may not enroll more than 22 students in [a] kindergarten,
  first, second, third, and [or] fourth grade classes [class]. That
  limitation does not apply during:
               (1)  any 12-week period of the school year selected by
  the district, in the case of a district whose average daily
  attendance is adjusted under Section 42.005(c); or
               (2)  the last 12 weeks of any school year in the case of
  any other district.
         SECTION 3.03.  Section 42.009, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 42.009.  DETERMINATION OF FUNDING LEVELS. (a) Not
  later than July 1 of each year, the commissioner shall determine for
  each school district whether the estimated amount of state and
  local funding per student in weighted average daily attendance to
  be provided to the district under the Foundation School Program for
  maintenance and operations for the following school year is less
  than the amount provided to the district for the 2016-2017
  [2010-2011] school year. If the amount estimated to be provided is
  less, the commissioner shall certify the percentage decrease in
  funding to be provided to the district.
         (b)  In making the determinations regarding funding levels
  required by Subsection (a), the commissioner shall:
               (1)  make adjustments as necessary to reflect changes
  in a school district's maintenance and operations tax rate;
               (2)  for a district required to take action under
  Chapter 41 to reduce its wealth per student to the equalized wealth
  level, base the determinations on the district's net funding levels
  after deducting any amounts required to be expended by the district
  to comply with Chapter 41; and
               (3)  determine a district's weighted average daily
  attendance in accordance with this chapter as it existed on January
  1, 2017 [2011].
         SECTION 3.04.  Section 21.402(c-1), Education Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 3.05.  This article applies beginning with the
  2017-2018 school year.
  ARTICLE 4. FISCAL MATTERS CONCERNING RETIRED TEACHERS
         SECTION 4.01.  Section 825.404(b), Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  Before November 15 [2] of each even-numbered year, the
  board of trustees, in coordination with the Legislative Budget
  Board, shall certify to the comptroller of public accounts for
  review and adoption an estimate of the amount necessary to pay the
  state's contributions to the retirement system for the following
  biennium. For qualifying employees under Subsection (a-1)(1), the
  board of trustees shall include only the amount payable by the state
  under Subsection (a-1)(1) in determining the amount to be
  certified.
         SECTION 4.02.  Section 1575.202(a), Insurance Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Each state fiscal year, the state shall contribute to
  the fund an amount equal to 0.98 [one] percent of the salary of each
  active employee.
         SECTION 4.03.  The changes in law made by this article apply
  beginning with the state fiscal year that begins September 1, 2017.
  ARTICLE 5. FISCAL MATTERS CONCERNING ADVANCED PLACEMENT
         SECTION 5.01.  (a) Section 28.053(i), Education Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (i)  The commissioner shall analyze and adjust, as needed,
  the sum of and number of awards to ensure that the purpose of the
  program is realized and to account for any budgetary constraints.
         (b)  This section applies beginning with the 2017-2018
  school year.
  ARTICLE 6. EFFECTIVE DATE
         SECTION 6.01.  This Act takes effect immediately if it
  receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
  effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
feedback