Bill Text: TX SB1616 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to authorizing a school district to establish a higher education scholarship endowment; authorizing a tax.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-20 - Referred to Education [SB1616 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB1616-Introduced.html
83R10455 JRH-D | ||
By: West | S.B. No. 1616 |
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relating to authorizing a school district to establish a higher | ||
education scholarship endowment; authorizing a tax. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 45, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 45.007 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 45.007. SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT. (a) A | ||
school district may impose an ad valorem tax in accordance with this | ||
section for the purposes of establishing an endowment to fund | ||
higher education scholarships for eligible students of the | ||
district. A tax imposed under this section may not exceed three | ||
cents per $100 of valuation. | ||
(b) A tax under this section must be approved by the voters | ||
at an election called by the board of trustees for that purpose. | ||
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the | ||
proposition: "Authorizing the board of trustees of (name of school | ||
district) to impose an ad valorem tax not to exceed (proposed | ||
maximum rate) cents per $100 of taxable property for the purpose of | ||
providing higher education scholarships to students of the | ||
district." | ||
(c) A tax imposed under this section shall be accounted for | ||
separately from other revenues of the district and may be used only | ||
for the purpose of funding higher education scholarships for | ||
students who graduate from high school in the school district. The | ||
board of trustees may invest the taxes collected and use the | ||
investment income to pay reasonable costs of administering the | ||
scholarship endowment program. | ||
(d) The board of trustees shall determine the amount of a | ||
scholarship provided from funds under this section. When | ||
determining the amount of a scholarship provided to an eligible | ||
student, the board may consider: | ||
(1) the number of years the student attended school in | ||
the district; | ||
(2) the cost of the higher education program in which | ||
the student enrolls; | ||
(3) the student's academic record and family | ||
resources; | ||
(4) available matching funds; or | ||
(5) any other criteria established by the board. | ||
(e) A scholarship program under this section may not include | ||
consideration of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or disability. | ||
(f) The board of trustees may create a nonprofit corporation | ||
to administer a scholarship program under this section. The board | ||
must retain the authority to appoint or remove the trustees of a | ||
nonprofit corporation established under this subsection. | ||
(g) A tax under this section is not considered part of the | ||
school district's maintenance and operations tax for purposes of: | ||
(1) the maximum tax rate of the district under Section | ||
45.003; | ||
(2) the district's tax rate requiring an election | ||
under Section 26.08, Tax Code; or | ||
(3) the district's state funding or equalized wealth | ||
level under Chapter 41 or 42. | ||
SECTION 2. 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, 2013. |