Bill Text: TX SCR25 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced

Texas Senate Concurrent Resolution 25 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Urging the attorney general of Texas to expeditiously advance any necessary appeals of the ruling of the 200th Judicial District Court in the school finance case.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-18 - Referred to Finance [SCR25 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-SCR25-Introduced.html

	83R10084 BPG-D

	By: West	S.C.R. No. 25



	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, The 200th Judicial District Court has ruled that the
	state's school finance system is inequitable and unconstitutional;
	and
	WHEREAS, Concurring with more than 600 school districts that
	sued the state over its funding methods, the court found that the
	school finance system violates the efficiency provision of Section
	1, Article VII, Texas Constitution, because it fails to provide
	substantially equal access to revenues necessary to provide a
	general diffusion of knowledge; the court further ruled that the
	system is not adequately funded and fails to make suitable
	provision for its own support and maintenance, and that it
	arbitrarily funds districts at different levels and below
	constitutional requirements; and
	WHEREAS, The court also declared that the Texas school
	finance system is constitutionally unsuitable for the provision of
	a general diffusion of knowledge to low-income and English Language
	Learner students; in addition, it ruled that the system has left
	school districts without meaningful discretion in setting their tax
	rates, thus creating a state ad valorem tax in violation of Section
	1-e, Article VIII, Texas Constitution; and
	WHEREAS, The framers of the Texas Constitution understood the
	vital importance of a well-educated citizenry; our state cannot
	maintain the vitality of its economy if it continues to fail in its
	constitutional obligations to its public schools, and our children
	should not be asked to wait for the conclusion of an extended
	appeals process before the school finance system is reformed in
	accordance with the ruling of the 200th Judicial District Court;
	now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas
	hereby respectfully urge the attorney general of Texas to
	expeditiously advance any necessary appeals of the ruling of the
	200th Judicial District Court in the school finance case so that the
	legislature can undertake and more quickly conclude the difficult
	work of resolving the current educational crisis; and, be it
	further
	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an
	official copy of this resolution to the attorney general of Texas as
	an official expression of the sentiment of the Legislature of the
	State of Texas.