| 1 | 1 | | 84R11749 KKA-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Thompson of Harris H.B. No. 2664 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the provision of funding under the foundation school |
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| 8 | 8 | | program on the basis of property values that exclude one-half of |
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| 9 | 9 | | optional homestead exemptions. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 7.062(c), Education Code, is amended to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (c) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, if the |
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| 14 | 14 | | commissioner certifies that the amount appropriated for a state |
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| 15 | 15 | | fiscal year for purposes of Subchapters A and B, Chapter 46, exceeds |
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| 16 | 16 | | the amount to which school districts are entitled under those |
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| 17 | 17 | | subchapters for that year, the commissioner shall use the excess |
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| 18 | 18 | | funds, in an amount not to exceed $20 million in any state fiscal |
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| 19 | 19 | | year, for the purpose of making grants under this section. The use |
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| 20 | 20 | | of excess funds under this subsection has priority over any |
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| 21 | 21 | | provision of Chapter 42 that permits or directs the use of excess |
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| 22 | 22 | | foundation school program funds, including Sections 42.2517, |
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| 23 | 23 | | 42.2521, [42.2522,] and 42.2531. The commissioner is required to |
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| 24 | 24 | | use excess funds as provided by this subsection only if the |
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| 25 | 25 | | commissioner is not required to reduce the total amount of state |
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| 26 | 26 | | funds allocated to school districts under Section 42.253(h). |
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| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 2. Section 42.261(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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| 28 | 28 | | read as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (a) Funds appropriated by the legislature for a tax year for |
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| 30 | 30 | | the purpose of reducing a school district's maintenance and |
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| 31 | 31 | | operations tax rate and providing state aid under Section 42.2516: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) are not excess funds for purposes of Section |
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| 33 | 33 | | 42.2517; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) are not available for purposes of Section 42.2521 |
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| 35 | 35 | | [or 42.2522]; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (3) may not be used for purposes of Chapter 46; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (4) may not be provided by the commissioner to a school |
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| 38 | 38 | | district for a purpose other than reduction of the district's |
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| 39 | 39 | | maintenance and operations tax rate. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 3. The following provisions are repealed: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) Section 42.2522, Education Code; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) Section 403.302(k), Government Code. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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