By: Taylor of Galveston, et al. S.B. No. 16
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a commission to recommend improvements
to the public school finance system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter L to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER L. TEXAS COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE
Sec. 42.601. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "commission"
means the Texas Commission on Public School Finance.
Sec. 42.602. TEXAS COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE.
(a) The Texas Commission on Public School Finance is established
to develop and make recommendations for improvements to the current
public school finance system or for new methods of financing public
schools.
(b) The commission is composed of 13 members, consisting of
the following:
(1) four members appointed by the governor;
(2) four members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(3) four members appointed by the speaker of the house
of representatives; and
(4) a member of the State Board of Education, as
designated by the chair of that board.
(c) The members appointed by the governor must have an
interest in public education and include at least:
(1) one person who is a current or retired classroom
teacher with at least 10 years of teaching experience;
(2) one person who is a member of the business
community; and
(3) one person who is a member of the civic community.
(d) The appointments made by the lieutenant governor and the
speaker of the house of representatives must each consist of:
(1) three members of the applicable legislative
chamber; and
(2) an administrator in the public school system or an
elected member of the board of trustees of a school district.
(e) In making appointments under Subsections (b)(1), (2),
and (3), the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
house of representatives shall coordinate to ensure that the
membership of the commission reflects, to the extent possible, the
ethnic and geographic diversity of this state.
Sec. 42.603. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall
designate the presiding officer of the commission.
Sec. 42.604. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of
the commission is not entitled to compensation for service on the
commission but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and
necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties.
Sec. 42.605. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING.
(a) Staff members of the agency shall provide administrative
support for the commission.
(b) Funding for the administrative and operational expenses
of the commission shall be provided by appropriation to the agency
for that purpose.
Sec. 42.606. RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The commission shall
develop recommendations under this subchapter to address issues
related to the public school finance system, including:
(1) the purpose of the public school finance system
and the relationship between state and local funding in that
system;
(2) the appropriate levels of local maintenance and
operations and interest and sinking fund tax effort necessary to
implement a public school finance system that complies with the
requirements under the Texas Constitution; and
(3) policy changes to the public school finance system
necessary to adjust for student demographics and the geographic
diversity in the state.
(b) The commission may establish one or more working groups
composed of not more than five members of the commission to study,
discuss, and address specific policy issues and recommendations to
refer to the commission for consideration.
Sec. 42.607. REPORT. Not later than December 31, 2018, the
commission shall prepare and deliver a report to the governor and
the legislature that recommends statutory changes to improve the
public school finance system, including any adjustments to funding
to account for student demographics.
Sec. 42.608. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION.
(a) The commission may hold public meetings as needed to fulfill
its duties under this subchapter.
(b) The commission is subject to Chapters 551 and 552,
Government Code.
Sec. 42.609. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION OF
SUBCHAPTER. (a) The commission is abolished January 8, 2019.
(b) This subchapter expires January 8, 2019.
SECTION 2. Not later than the 30th day after the effective
date of this Act, the appropriate persons shall make the
appointments and designations required by Section 42.602,
Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
legislative session.