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

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

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.
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