Bill Text: TX HB3597 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the availability of certain school district financial information on certain districts' Internet websites.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-30 - Referred to Public Education [HB3597 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB3597-Introduced.html

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85R5004 CAE-D
By: Fallon H.B. No. 3597

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the availability of certain school district financial
information on certain districts' Internet websites.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 44, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter D to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER D. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
Sec. 44.101. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only
to a school district that is ranked among the 50 highest in student
enrollment, as determined by the commissioner.
Sec. 44.102. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE. (a) A school district
shall maintain on the district's Internet website an electronic
database of district finances. The database must include:
(1) for the immediately preceding fiscal year:
(A) total expenditures as a dollar amount and a
dollar amount per student in average daily attendance;
(B) total revenue as a dollar amount and a dollar
amount per student in average daily attendance;
(C) total revenue from property taxes as a dollar
amount and a dollar amount per student in average daily attendance;
and
(D) the total number of full-time equivalent
positions for the district;
(2) in a searchable electronic format, the district's
approved budget for the current fiscal year and each of the four
preceding fiscal years that, for each budget:
(A) identifies by name the accounts and divisions
of all money held or disbursed by the district;
(B) includes all revenue and expenditures in the
district's budget; and
(C) includes all combined accounts;
(3) the district's annual financial report for the
preceding five fiscal years;
(4) in a searchable electronic format, the transaction
register for each district checking account, including:
(A) for each check written from a district
checking account:
(i) the transaction amount;
(ii) the name of the payee;
(iii) the date the check was issued; and
(iv) a statement of the purpose of the
expenditure for which the check was written;
(B) monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual totals
for all expenditures;
(C) any electronic fund transfers;
(D) all payroll direct deposits; and
(E) any bank drafts for bond or loan payments;
(5) a visualization chart depicting district
financial data trends for the preceding five fiscal years that
shows for each fiscal year:
(A) total expenditures per student in average
daily attendance;
(B) total revenue per student in average daily
attendance; and
(C) the district property tax rate expressed in
dollars per $100 valuation;
(6) an explanation of terminology used on the
database, as appropriate;
(7) contact information for the district and members
of the board of trustees of the district; and
(8) a link to a web page maintained by the district
that provides instructions for submitting a request for information
under Chapter 552, Government Code.
(b) District budget data must be formatted in a manner that
allows any person using the district's Internet website to perform
an analysis of the data.
(c) The district's financial report for the current fiscal
year must be posted not later than the first anniversary of the end
of the fiscal year.
(d) A school district shall:
(1) update the electronic checking account
transaction register at least once each month, not later than the
30th day after the closing date of the most recent monthly statement
for the checking account;
(2) maintain each transaction or listing in the
electronic checking account transaction register on the district's
Internet website until at least the third anniversary of the date of
the transaction or listing; and
(3) for each fiscal year that transactions and
listings are included in the electronic checking account
transaction register, group together the transactions and listings
by fiscal year.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.