By: Birdwell, Buckingham, Flores S.B. No. 30
(In the Senate - Filed March 7, 2019; March 7, 2019, read
first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
April 4, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 4, 2019,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 30 By: Hughes
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to ballot language requirements for a proposition seeking
voter approval for the issuance of bonds.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 45.003, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read as follows:
(g) Notwithstanding Section 52.072, Election Code, the
question of whether to approve the issuance of bonds for the
construction, acquisition, and equipment of school buildings in the
district and the purchase of necessary sites for school buildings
may be submitted to the voters in a single ballot proposition,
except that bonds for each of the following purposes must be stated
in a separate proposition:
(1) the construction, improvement, or renovation of a
stadium;
(2) the construction, improvement, or renovation of a
natatorium;
(3) the construction, improvement, or renovation of
another recreational facility other than a gymnasium;
(4) the construction, improvement, or renovation of a
performing arts facility;
(5) the construction, improvement, or renovation of
housing for teachers as determined by the district to be necessary
to have a sufficient number of teachers for the district; and
(6) an acquisition or update of technology equipment,
other than equipment used for school security purposes.
(h) The question of whether to approve the issuance of bonds
for a building described by Subsection (g)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5)
must be printed on the ballot as a separate ballot proposition
regardless of whether that building is proposed as part of the same
complex or building that contains traditional classroom
facilities. Each separate ballot proposition required by this
subsection must state the principal amount of the bonds to be issued
that constitutes the cost for construction of that portion of the
building or complex attributable to the building described by
Subsection (g)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) or to the traditional
classroom facilities, as applicable.
SECTION 2. Section 52.072, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
follows:
(e) In addition to any other requirement imposed by law for
a proposition, including a provision prescribing the proposition
language, a proposition submitted to the voters for approval of the
issuance of bonds or the imposition, increase, or reduction of a tax
shall specifically state, as applicable:
(1) with respect to a proposition seeking voter
approval of the issuance of bonds:
(A) the total principal amount of the bonds to be
authorized, if approved; and
(B) a plain language [general] description of the
single specific purpose [the purposes] for which the bonds are to be
authorized, if approved;
(2) with respect to a proposition that only seeks
voter approval of the imposition or increase of a tax, the amount of
or maximum tax rate of the tax or tax increase for which approval is
sought; or
(3) with respect to a proposition that only seeks
voter approval of the reduction of a tax, the amount of tax rate
reduction or the tax rate for which approval is sought.
(f) Each single specific purpose for which bonds requiring
voter approval are to be issued must be printed on the ballot as a
separate proposition.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.
An election ordered before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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