Bill Text: TX HCR118 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Finding that the diversion of sales tax funds from general revenue to the state highway fund was approved by Texas voters in 2015 and is required under Section 7-c, Article VIII, of the Texas Constitution.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-31 - Referred to Appropriations [HCR118 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HCR118-Introduced.html
| 85R20534 JNC-D | ||
| By: Capriglione | H.C.R. No. 118 | |
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| WHEREAS, In the 2015 election, 83 percent of Texas voters | ||
| approved Proposition 7, a state constitutional amendment directing | ||
| the allocation of a modest portion of sales tax revenue to the state | ||
| highway fund for much-needed roadwork; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1 employs an accounting procedure that | ||
| delays the prescribed diversion of $2.5 billion for highway funding | ||
| from the 2019 fiscal year to the following budget cycle; this | ||
| effectively double counts $2.5 billion, which will appear on the | ||
| books of both the state's general fund and the highway fund during | ||
| 2019; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In addition to counting the same money twice, this | ||
| tactic ignores Section 7-c, Article VIII, of the Texas | ||
| Constitution, which requires the state comptroller to shift | ||
| designated revenues to the state highway fund from the general | ||
| revenue fund in the same fiscal year in which that revenue is | ||
| collected; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Failure to allocate the designated revenues to the | ||
| highway fund in the correct year would contravene both the Texas | ||
| Constitution and the clearly expressed desire of an overwhelming | ||
| percentage of Texas voters; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby find that the diversion of sales tax funds from general | ||
| revenue to the state highway fund was approved by Texas voters in | ||
| 2015 and is required under Section 7-c, Article VIII, of the Texas | ||
| Constitution; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature affirm that a delay of | ||
| this transfer from one fiscal year to another is unconstitutional. | ||
