Bill Text: TX SB30 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to ballot language requirements for a proposition seeking voter approval for the issuance of bonds.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 17-2)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-07 - Effective on 9/1/19 [SB30 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB30-Enrolled.html
S.B. No. 30 |
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relating to ballot language requirements for a proposition seeking | ||
voter approval for the issuance of bonds. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 45.003, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read as follows: | ||
(g) Notwithstanding Section 1251.052, Government Code, the | ||
question of whether to approve the issuance of bonds for the | ||
construction, acquisition, and equipment of school buildings in the | ||
district, the purchase of new school buses, and the purchase of | ||
necessary sites for school buildings may be submitted to the voters | ||
in a single ballot proposition, except that bonds for each of the | ||
following purposes must be stated in a separate proposition: | ||
(1) the construction, acquisition, or equipment of a | ||
stadium with seating capacity for more than 1,000 spectators; | ||
(2) the construction, acquisition, or equipment of a | ||
natatorium; | ||
(3) the construction, acquisition, or equipment of | ||
another recreational facility other than a gymnasium, playground, | ||
or play area; | ||
(4) the construction, acquisition, or equipment of a | ||
performing arts facility; | ||
(5) the construction, acquisition, or equipment of | ||
housing for teachers as determined by the district to be necessary | ||
to have a sufficient number of teachers for the district; and | ||
(6) an acquisition or update of technology equipment, | ||
other than equipment used for school security purposes or | ||
technology infrastructure integral to the construction of a | ||
facility. | ||
(h) The question of whether to approve the issuance of bonds | ||
for a building described by Subsection (g)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) | ||
must be printed on the ballot as a separate ballot proposition | ||
regardless of whether that building is proposed as part of the same | ||
complex or building that contains traditional classroom | ||
facilities. Each separate ballot proposition required by this | ||
subsection must state the principal amount of the bonds to be issued | ||
that constitutes the cost for construction of that portion of the | ||
building or complex attributable to the building described by | ||
Subsection (g)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) or to the traditional | ||
classroom facilities, as applicable. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 52.072(e), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(e) In addition to any other requirement imposed by law for | ||
a proposition, including a provision prescribing the proposition | ||
language, a proposition submitted to the voters for approval of the | ||
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tax shall specifically state, as applicable: | ||
(1) [ |
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voter approval of the imposition or increase of a tax, the amount of | ||
or maximum tax rate of the tax or tax increase for which approval is | ||
sought; or | ||
(2) [ |
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seeks voter approval of the reduction of a tax, the amount of tax | ||
rate reduction or the tax rate for which approval is sought. | ||
SECTION 3. Chapter 1251, Government Code, is amended by | ||
designating Sections 1251.001, 1251.003, 1251.004, 1251.005, and | ||
1251.006 as Subchapter A and adding a subchapter heading to read as | ||
follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER A. PROVISIONS RELATING GENERALLY TO COUNTY AND | ||
MUNICIPAL BOND ELECTIONS | ||
SECTION 4. Chapter 1251, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter B to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER B. BALLOT FOR DEBT OBLIGATIONS ISSUED BY POLITICAL | ||
SUBDIVISION | ||
Sec. 1251.051. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Debt obligation" means a public security, as | ||
defined by Section 1201.002, secured by and payable from ad valorem | ||
taxes. The term does not include public securities that are | ||
designated as self-supporting by the political subdivision issuing | ||
the securities. | ||
(2) "Political subdivision" means a municipality, | ||
county, school district, or special taxing district. | ||
Sec. 1251.052. FORM. (a) The ballot for a measure seeking | ||
voter approval of the issuance of debt obligations by a political | ||
subdivision shall specifically state: | ||
(1) a plain language description of the single | ||
specific purposes for which the debt obligations are to be | ||
authorized; | ||
(2) the total principal amount of the debt obligations | ||
to be authorized; and | ||
(3) that taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and | ||
interest on the debt obligations will be imposed. | ||
(a-1) Each single specific purpose for which debt | ||
obligations requiring voter approval are to be issued must be | ||
printed on the ballot as a separate proposition. A proposition may | ||
include as a specific purpose one or more structures or | ||
improvements serving the substantially same purpose and may include | ||
related improvements and equipment necessary to accomplish the | ||
specific purpose. | ||
SECTION 5. Section 1251.002, Government Code, is repealed. | ||
SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
to an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. | ||
An election ordered before the effective date of this Act is | ||
governed by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and the | ||
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 30 passed the Senate on | ||
April 11, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; | ||
May 23, 2019, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and | ||
requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 23, 2019, House | ||
granted request of the Senate; May 26, 2019, Senate adopted | ||
Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31, | ||
Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 30 passed the House, with | ||
amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 137, | ||
Nays 5, three present not voting; May 23, 2019, House granted | ||
request of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee; | ||
May 26, 2019, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the | ||
following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 8, one present not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |