Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SJR69 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Paxton S.J.R. No. 69
2	2
3	3
4	4	SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
5	5	proposing a constitutional amendment regarding the limitation on
6	6	the rate of growth of appropriations and the use of surplus state
7	7	revenue to provide for property tax relief and public school
8	8	teacher compensation.
9	9	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 49-g(b), Article III, Texas
11	11	Constitution, is amended to read as follows:
12	12	(b) The comptroller shall, not later than the 90th day of
13	13	each biennium, transfer to the economic stabilization fund one-half
14	14	of any unencumbered positive balance of general revenues on the
15	15	last day of the preceding biennium. If necessary, the comptroller
16	16	shall reduce the amount transferred in proportion to the other
17	17	amounts prescribed by this section to prevent the amount in the fund
18	18	from exceeding the limit in effect for that biennium under
19	19	Subsection (g) of this section. For purposes of this subsection,
20	20	general revenues are considered encumbered on the last day of a
21	21	biennium only to the extent that general revenues are subject to
22	22	payment for particular identifiable and legally enforceable
23	23	obligations of this state that were incurred on or before that day
24	24	and intended to be paid out of appropriations for that biennium.
25	25	SECTION 2. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
26	26	adding Section 49-g-5 to read as follows:
27	27	Sec. 49-g-5. (a) Not later than the 90th day of each state
28	28	fiscal biennium, the comptroller of public accounts shall determine
29	29	an amount equal to one-half of the unencumbered positive balance of
30	30	general revenues on the last day of the preceding state fiscal
31	31	biennium.
32	32	(b) Of the amount determined under Subsection (a) of this
33	33	section:
34	34	(1) 25 percent may be used only to provide
35	35	compensation for teachers, counselors, and librarians employed in
36	36	public schools; and
37	37	(2) the remainder may be used only to provide ad
38	38	valorem tax relief by reducing school district maintenance and
39	39	operations ad valorem tax rates.
40	40	(c) For purposes of Subsection (a) of this section, general
41	41	revenues are considered encumbered on the last day of a state fiscal
42	42	biennium only to the extent that general revenues are subject to
43	43	payment for particular identifiable and legally enforceable
44	44	obligations of this state that were incurred on or before that day
45	45	and intended to be paid out of appropriations for that state fiscal
46	46	biennium.
47	47	SECTION 3. The following temporary provision is added to
48	48	the Texas Constitution:
49	49	TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies
50	50	to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 86th Legislature,
51	51	Regular Session, 2019, regarding the use of surplus state revenue
52	52	to provide for property tax relief and compensation of certain
53	53	public school employees.
54	54	(b) The amendments to Section 49-g(b), Article III, of this
55	55	constitution, and Section 49-g-5, Article III, of this
56	56	constitution, as added by the amendment, apply beginning with the
57	57	state fiscal biennium that begins September 1, 2021.
58	58	(c) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2022.
59	59	SECTION 4. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
60	60	submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2019.
61	61	The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
62	62	proposition: "The constitutional amendment regarding the use of
63	63	surplus state revenue to provide for property tax relief and
64	64	compensation for certain public school employees."