Bill Text: TX SB2144 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of a commission to recommend improvements to the public school finance system.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-24 - Postponed [SB2144 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB2144-Comm_Sub.html
By: Taylor of Galveston, et al. | S.B. No. 2144 | |
(Huberty) | ||
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relating to the creation of a commission to recommend improvements | ||
to the public school finance system. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subchapter L to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER L. TEXAS COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE | ||
Sec. 42.601. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "commission" | ||
means the Texas Commission on Public School Finance. | ||
Sec. 42.602. TEXAS COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE. | ||
(a) The Texas Commission on Public School Finance is established | ||
to develop and make recommendations for improvements to the current | ||
public school finance system or for new methods of financing public | ||
schools. | ||
(b) The commission is composed of 15 members, consisting of | ||
the following: | ||
(1) four members appointed by the governor; | ||
(2) three members appointed by the lieutenant | ||
governor; | ||
(3) three members appointed by the speaker of the | ||
house of representatives; | ||
(4) the chair of the senate committee on education, or | ||
a representative designated by the chair; | ||
(5) the chair of the senate committee on finance, or a | ||
representative designated by the chair; | ||
(6) the chair of the house of representatives | ||
committee on public education, or a representative designated by | ||
the chair; | ||
(7) the chair of the house of representatives | ||
committee on appropriations, or a representative designated by the | ||
chair; and | ||
(8) a member of the State Board of Education, as | ||
designated by the chair of that board. | ||
(c) In making appointments under Subsections (b)(1), (2), | ||
and (3), the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the | ||
house of representatives shall coordinate to ensure that the | ||
membership of the commission reflects, to the extent possible, the | ||
ethnic diversity of this state and includes at least one of each of | ||
the following representatives: | ||
(1) an administrator in the public school system or an | ||
elected member of the board of trustees of a school district; | ||
(2) a member of the business community; and | ||
(3) a member of the civic community. | ||
Sec. 42.603. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall | ||
designate the presiding officer of the commission. | ||
Sec. 42.604. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of | ||
the commission is not entitled to compensation for service on the | ||
commission but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and | ||
necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties. | ||
Sec. 42.605. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING. | ||
(a) Staff members of the agency shall provide administrative | ||
support for the commission. | ||
(b) Funding for the administrative and operational expenses | ||
of the commission shall be provided by appropriation to the agency | ||
for that purpose. | ||
Sec. 42.606. RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The commission shall | ||
develop recommendations under this subchapter to address issues | ||
related to the public school finance system, including: | ||
(1) the purpose of the public school finance system | ||
and the relationship between state and local funding in that | ||
system; | ||
(2) the appropriate levels of local maintenance and | ||
operations and interest and sinking fund tax effort necessary to | ||
implement a public school finance system that complies with the | ||
requirements under the Texas Constitution; and | ||
(3) policy changes to the public school finance system | ||
necessary to adjust for student demographics and the geographic | ||
diversity in the state. | ||
(b) The commission may establish one or more working groups | ||
composed of not more than five members of the commission to study, | ||
discuss, and address specific policy issues and recommendations to | ||
refer to the commission for consideration. | ||
Sec. 42.607. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2018, the | ||
commission shall prepare and deliver a report to the governor and | ||
the legislature that recommends statutory changes to improve the | ||
public school finance system, including any adjustments to funding | ||
to account for student demographics. | ||
Sec. 42.608. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION. | ||
(a) The commission may hold public meetings as needed to fulfill | ||
its duties under this subchapter. | ||
(b) The commission is subject to Chapters 551 and 552, | ||
Government Code. | ||
Sec. 42.609. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION OF | ||
SUBCHAPTER. (a) The commission is abolished January 8, 2019. | ||
(b) This subchapter expires January 8, 2019. | ||
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, 2017. |