Bill Text: TX HB4406 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to creating the State School Safety Fund to provide financial support for projects that enhance the safety of schools in this state.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-27 - Left pending in committee [HB4406 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB4406-Introduced.html

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By: King of Hemphill H.B. No. 4406

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to creating the State School Safety Fund to provide
financial support for projects that enhance the safety of schools
in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 48, Education Code, is amended by adding
Section 48.304 to read as follows:
Section 48.304. EXCESS FUNDS FOR STATE SCHOOL SAFETY FUND.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including Section
48.265 to the contrary, if the commissioner of education determines
that the amount appropriated for the purposes of the Foundation
School Program exceeds the amount to which school districts are
entitled under Chapters 46, 48 and 49, Education Code, the
commissioner shall designate a portion of the excess funds, up to
100 percent of the excess funds to be transferred to the State
School Safety Fund under Article VII, Section 7, of the Texas
Constitution.
(b) The Commissioner shall then establish an annual school
safety grant program that is funded through proceeds from the State
School Safety Fund.
(c) Total grants awarded under this section may not exceed
$250 million per school year.
(d) Grants awarded under this section must only be used to
reimburse school districts for expenditures required to implement a
school safety plan that has been approved by the agency.
(e) Grants awarded under this section shall be limited to
$10 million per district. If there are more than $250 million in
requests for reimbursements, the commissioner shall
proportionately reduce all grant awards so that the total equals
$250 million. If there are any funds left over in a given school
year after all eligible districts have been awarded grants, then
these excess funds may be used to provide a second round of funding
to school districts who had expenditures in excess of $10 million in
a given school year.
(f) The commissioner may adopt rules to implement and
administer this section.
(g) This section is effective beginning with the 2024-2025
school year.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2024, but only
if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 88th Legislature,
Regular Session, 2023, creating the State School Safety Fund to
provide financial support for projects that enhance the safety of
schools in this state is approved by the voters. If that amendment
is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.