88R21716 JES-F
By: King of Hemphill H.J.R. No. 170
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment creating the state school
safety fund to provide financial support for projects that enhance
the safety of public schools in this state.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article VII, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 7 to read as follows:
Sec. 7. (a) The state school safety fund is created as a
special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue
fund. Money in the state school safety fund shall be administered,
without further appropriation, by the Texas Permanent School Fund
Corporation or that corporation's successor in function. In
accordance with general law, the state school safety fund may be
used only to support projects to enhance the safety of public
schools in this state, including projects to ensure public schools
meet school safety standards established by the Texas Education
Agency or that agency's successor in function. Separate accounts
may be established in the state school safety fund as necessary or
convenient to administer the fund or the supported projects.
(b) The legislature by general law may authorize the Texas
Permanent School Fund Corporation or that corporation's successor
in function to provide money from the state school safety fund to
the Texas Education Agency or that agency's successor in function
for purposes of providing financial assistance, including by direct
grant to an independent school district or open-enrollment charter
school, for projects described under Subsection (a) of this
section.
(c) The state school safety fund consists of:
(1) money appropriated to the fund;
(2) money transferred or deposited to the credit of
the fund by general law, including money from any source
transferred or deposited to the credit of the fund at the discretion
of the Texas Permanent School Fund Corporation or the Texas
Education Agency or that corporation's or agency's successor in
function as authorized by general law;
(3) revenue from any source that the legislature by
statute dedicates for deposit to the credit of the fund;
(4) investment earnings and interest earned on amounts
credited to the fund;
(5) money appropriated by the legislature for the
purposes of funding public schools that is determined by the
commissioner of education to exceed the amount required for the
support and maintenance of public schools, including amounts to
which the public schools of this state are entitled under general
law; and
(6) money transferred to the fund from another fund or
account to which money from the fund was transferred, as authorized
by general law.
(d) The legislature by general law shall provide for the
manner in which money in the state school safety fund may be used,
subject to the limitations provided by this section. The
legislature by general law may provide for costs of investment and
administration of the state school safety fund to be paid from the
fund.
(e) For the purposes of Section 22, Article VIII, of this
constitution, an appropriation of money from the economic
stabilization fund for the purpose of depositing that money to the
credit of the state school safety fund is considered to be an
appropriation of state tax revenues dedicated by this constitution.
(f) This section is intended to establish a basic framework
of the state school safety fund, and the legislature by general law
may provide for the implementation and effectuate the design and
objects of this section and may delegate duties, responsibilities,
functions, and authority to the Texas Permanent School Fund
Corporation or the Texas Education Agency or that corporation's or
agency's successor in function for those purposes.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment creating the state
school safety fund to provide financial support for projects that
enhance the safety of public schools in this state."