81R11474 CAS-D
By: Villarreal H.B. No. 2337
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the guaranteed level of state and local funds under the
existing debt allotment for school districts whose construction or
renovation design plans are highly rated for environmental
efficiency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 46.032, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the dollar amount
guaranteed level of state and local funds per student per cent of
tax effort ("EDGL") for purposes of that subsection is $37 or a
greater amount for any year provided by appropriation for eligible
bonds described by Section 46.0321.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 46, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 46.0321 to read as follows:
Sec. 46.0321. GREATER ALLOTMENT FOR CERTAIN BONDS. (a) In
this section, "instructional facility" has the meaning assigned by
Section 46.001.
(b) A school district is entitled to an allotment under this
subchapter based on the dollar amount guaranteed level of state and
local funds per student per cent of tax effort ("EDGL") under
Section 46.032(a-1) for the payment of eligible bonds that were
issued to construct a new instructional facility or conduct a major
renovation of an existing instructional facility if during the
design phase of the construction or renovation the design of the
proposed construction or renovation was awarded a sufficiently high
score, as specified by rule of the State Energy Conservation
Office, by an organization that is approved by the State Energy
Conservation Office and that provides a program for rating
environmental efficiency in the design and construction or
renovation of buildings, such as:
(1) the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) Green Building Rating System;
(2) the Texas Collaborative for High Performance
Schools (TX-CHPS) Criteria; or
(3) the Green Building Initiative's Green Globes
program.
(c) The State Energy Conservation Office by rule shall:
(1) adopt standards an organization must meet to be
approved for purposes of Subsection (b); and
(2) for each approved organization, specify the
overall score required to be awarded by the organization for a
construction or renovation design to qualify a school district for
entitlement to a greater allotment under Section 46.032(a-1).
(d) In determining an overall score to specify under
Subsection (c)(2), the State Energy Conservation Office shall
consult with an advisory panel that the office has established for
that purpose and that includes at least one representative of a
school district. The State Energy Conservation Office shall
specify scores under Subsection (c)(2) so that the score specified
for each organization represents, to the extent practicable, an
equal level of environmental efficiency in building or renovation
design.
SECTION 3. Sections 46.032(a-1) and 46.0321, Education
Code, as added by this Act, apply only to bonds issued by a school
district on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.