Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB1477 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R3917 JRJ-D
2	2	By: Marquez H.B. No. 1477
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the transportation allotment provided under the public
8	8	school finance system.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 42.155, Education Code, is amended by
11	11	amending Subsections (c), (e), and (g) and adding Subsections
12	12	(c-1), (c-2), (c-3), (e-1), (e-2), (e-3), (g-1), (g-2), and (g-3)
13	13	to read as follows:
14	14	(c) Each district or county operating a regular
15	15	transportation system is entitled to an allotment based on the
16	16	daily cost per regular eligible student of operating and
17	17	maintaining the regular transportation system and the linear
18	18	density of that system. In determining the cost, the commissioner
19	19	shall give consideration to factors affecting the actual cost of
20	20	providing these transportation services in each district or county.
21	21	The average actual cost is to be computed by the commissioner and
22	22	included for consideration by the legislature in the General
23	23	Appropriations Act.
24	24	(c-1) The allotment per mile of approved route under
25	25	Subsection (c) is computed as follows:
26	26	Linear Density Grouping Allocation Per Mile of Linear Density Grouping Allocation Per Mile of
27	27	Linear Density Grouping Allocation Per Mile of
28	28	Approved Route Approved Route
29	29	Approved Route
30	30	2.40 and above$3.69
31	31	1.65 to 2.403.22
32	32	1.15 to 1.652.86
33	33	.90 to 1.152.50
34	34	up to .902.27
35	35	[may not exceed the amount set by appropriation].
36	36	(c-2) Subsection (c-1) applies beginning with the 2014-2015
37	37	school year. For the 2009-2010 through the 2013-2014 school years,
38	38	the allotment per mile of approved route under Subsection (c) is an
39	39	amount equal to the product of the amount for each linear density
40	40	grouping established in Rider 4, page III-7, Chapter 1369, Acts of
41	41	the 79th Legislature, Regular Session, 2005 (the General
42	42	Appropriations Act), and:
43	43	(1) for the 2009-2010 school year, 1.263;
44	44	(2) for the 2010-2011 school year, 1.526;
45	45	(3) for the 2011-2012 school year, 1.789;
46	46	(4) for the 2012-2013 school year, 2.052; or
47	47	(5) for the 2013-2014 school year, 2.315.
48	48	(c-3) Subsection (c-2) and this subsection expire September
49	49	1, 2015.
50	50	(e) The commissioner may grant an amount [set by
51	51	appropriation] for private or commercial transportation for
52	52	eligible students from isolated areas. The need for this type of
53	53	transportation grant shall be determined on an individual basis and
54	54	the amount granted shall not exceed the actual cost. The grants may
55	55	be made only in extreme hardship cases. A grant may not be made if
56	56	the students live within two miles of an approved school bus route.
57	57	(e-1) The maximum allotment for private or commercial
58	58	transportation under Subsection (e) is an amount equal to the
59	59	lesser of $0.64 per mile or $2,107 per eligible student.
60	60	(e-2) Subsection (e-1) applies beginning with the 2014-2015
61	61	school year. For the 2009-2010 through the 2013-2014 school years,
62	62	the maximum allotment under Subsection (e) is an amount equal to the
63	63	product of the lesser of $0.25 per mile or $816 per eligible student
64	64	and:
65	65	(1) for the 2009-2010 school year, 1.263;
66	66	(2) for the 2010-2011 school year, 1.526;
67	67	(3) for the 2011-2012 school year, 1.789;
68	68	(4) for the 2012-2013 school year, 2.052; or
69	69	(5) for the 2013-2014 school year, 2.315.
70	70	(e-3) Subsection (e-2) and this subsection expire September
71	71	1, 2015.
72	72	(g) A school district or county that provides special
73	73	transportation services for eligible special education students is
74	74	entitled to a state allocation paid on a previous year's
75	75	cost-per-mile basis. [The maximum rate per mile allowable shall be
76	76	set by appropriation based on data gathered from the first year of
77	77	each preceding biennium.] Districts may use a portion of their
78	78	support allocation to pay transportation costs, if necessary. The
79	79	commissioner may grant an amount set by appropriation for private
80	80	transportation to reimburse parents or their agents for
81	81	transporting eligible special education students. The mileage
82	82	allowed shall be computed along the shortest public road from the
83	83	student's home to school and back, morning and afternoon. The need
84	84	for this type of transportation shall be determined on an
85	85	individual basis and shall be approved only in extreme hardship
86	86	cases.
87	87	(g-1) The maximum allotment for special transportation
88	88	services under Subsection (g) is an amount equal to the lesser of
89	89	$2.78 per mile or $2,107 per eligible special education student.
90	90	(g-2) Subsection (g-1) applies beginning with the 2014-2015
91	91	school year. For the 2009-2010 through the 2013-2014 school years,
92	92	the maximum allotment for special transportation services under
93	93	Subsection (g) is an amount equal to the product of the lesser of
94	94	$1.08 per mile or $816 per eligible special education student and:
95	95	(1) for the 2009-2010 school year, 1.263;
96	96	(2) for the 2010-2011 school year, 1.526;
97	97	(3) for the 2011-2012 school year, 1.789;
98	98	(4) for the 2012-2013 school year, 2.052; or
99	99	(5) for the 2013-2014 school year, 2.315.
100	100	(g-3) Subsection (g-2) and this subsection expire September
101	101	1, 2015.
102	102	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
103	103	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
104	104	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
105	105	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
106	106	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
107	107
108	108	Linear Density Grouping Allocation Per Mile of
109	109
110	110	Approved Route