Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB243 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R2428 GCB-D
2	2	By: Watson S.B. No. 243
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the cost of education adjustment.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 7.062(c), Education Code, is amended to
10	10	read as follows:
11	11	(c) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, if the
12	12	commissioner certifies that the amount appropriated for a state
13	13	fiscal year for purposes of Subchapters A and B, Chapter 46, exceeds
14	14	the amount to which school districts are entitled under those
15	15	subchapters for that year, the commissioner shall use the excess
16	16	funds, in an amount not to exceed $20 million in any state fiscal
17	17	year, for the purpose of making grants under this section. The use
18	18	of excess funds under this subsection has priority over any
19	19	provision of Chapter 42 that permits or directs the use of excess
20	20	foundation school program funds, including Sections [42.2517,]
21	21	42.2521, 42.2522, and 42.2531. The commissioner is required to use
22	22	excess funds as provided by this subsection only if the
23	23	commissioner is not required to reduce the total amount of state
24	24	funds allocated to school districts under Section 42.253(h).
25	25	SECTION 2. Section 42.102, Education Code, is amended by
26	26	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
27	27	follows:
28	28	(a) The basic allotment for each school district is adjusted
29	29	to reflect the [geographic variation in known resource costs and]
30	30	costs of education for [due to factors beyond the control of] the
31	31	school district using the updated cost of education index provided
32	32	under Subsection (c).
33	33	(c) Based on a statistical analysis conducted by the
34	34	Legislative Budget Board to determine for each school district the
35	35	current geographic variation in known resource costs and costs of
36	36	education due to factors beyond the control of the district, the
37	37	commissioner shall update the cost of education index used for
38	38	purposes of this section during the 2014-2015 school year. The
39	39	updated index shall be used for purposes of this section beginning
40	40	with the 2015-2016 school year. Subsequently, the commissioner
41	41	periodically may request more current statistical analysis from the
42	42	Legislative Budget Board and further update as needed the cost of
43	43	education index used for purposes of this section.
44	44	SECTION 3. Section 42.261(a), Education Code, is amended to
45	45	read as follows:
46	46	(a) Funds appropriated by the legislature for a tax year for
47	47	the purpose of reducing a school district's maintenance and
48	48	operations tax rate and providing state aid under Section 42.2516:
49	49	(1) [are not excess funds for purposes of Section
50	50	42.2517;
51	51	[(2)] are not available for purposes of Section
52	52	42.2521 or 42.2522;
53	53	(2) [(3)] may not be used for purposes of Chapter 46;
54	54	and
55	55	(3) [(4)] may not be provided by the commissioner to a
56	56	school district for a purpose other than reduction of the
57	57	district's maintenance and operations tax rate.
58	58	SECTION 4. Sections 42.102(b) and 42.2517, Education Code,
59	59	are repealed.
60	60	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
61	61	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
62	62	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
63	63	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
64	64	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.