Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SJR48 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R261 CJC-D
2	2	By: Blanco S.J.R. No. 48
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7	7	A JOINT RESOLUTION
8	8	proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of
9	9	the Texas severance tax revenue and oil and natural gas (Texas
10	10	STRONG) defense fund, dedicating the money in that fund to benefit
11	11	areas of the state significantly affected by oil and gas
12	12	production, and providing for the transfer of certain general
13	13	revenues to that fund, the economic stabilization fund, and certain
14	14	other funds and accounts.
15	15	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
16	16	SECTION 1. Section 49-g, Article III, Texas Constitution,
17	17	is amended by amending Subsections (c), (c-1), and (c-2) and adding
18	18	Subsection (c-3) to read as follows:
19	19	(c) Not later than the 90th day of each fiscal year, the
20	20	comptroller of public accounts shall transfer from the general
21	21	revenue fund to the economic stabilization fund, [and] the state
22	22	highway fund, the oil and gas regulation and cleanup account or a
23	23	successor account, the Texas emissions reduction plan fund or a
24	24	successor fund, and the Texas severance tax revenue and oil and
25	25	natural gas (Texas STRONG) defense fund the sum of the amounts
26	26	described by Subsections (d) and (e) of this section, to be
27	27	allocated as provided by Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) of this
28	28	section. However, if necessary and notwithstanding the allocations
29	29	prescribed by Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) of this section, the
30	30	comptroller shall reduce proportionately the amounts described by
31	31	Subsections (d) and (e) of this section to be transferred and
32	32	allocated to the economic stabilization fund to prevent the amount
33	33	in that fund from exceeding the limit in effect for that biennium
34	34	under Subsection (g) of this section. Revenue transferred to the
35	35	state highway fund under this subsection may be used only for
36	36	constructing, maintaining, and acquiring rights-of-way for public
37	37	roadways other than toll roads.
38	38	(c-1) Except as provided by Subsection (c-2) of this
39	39	section, the comptroller shall allocate [Of] the sum of the amounts
40	40	described by Subsections (d) and (e) of this section and required to
41	41	be transferred from the general revenue fund under Subsection (c)
42	42	of this section as follows:
43	43	(1) 38 percent[, the comptroller shall allocate
44	44	one-half] to the economic stabilization fund;
45	45	(2) 10 percent to the Texas severance tax revenue and
46	46	oil and natural gas (Texas STRONG) defense fund, subject to
47	47	Subsection (c-3) of this section;
48	48	(3) one percent to the oil and gas regulation and
49	49	cleanup account or a successor account;
50	50	(4) one percent to the Texas emissions reduction plan
51	51	fund or a successor fund; and
52	52	(5) the remainder to the state highway fund[, except
53	53	as provided by Subsection (c-2) of this section].
54	54	(c-2) The legislature by general law shall provide for a
55	55	procedure by which the allocation prescribed by Subsection (c-1)
56	56	[of the sum of the amounts described by Subsections (d) and (e)] of
57	57	this section may be adjusted to provide for a transfer to the
58	58	economic stabilization fund of an amount greater than the
59	59	allocation provided for under that subsection [Subsection (c-1) of
60	60	this section] with the remainder of that sum, if any, allocated for
61	61	transfer to the other funds and accounts described by that
62	62	subsection as provided by general law [state highway fund]. The
63	63	allocation made as provided by that general law is binding on the
64	64	comptroller for the purposes of the transfers required by
65	65	Subsection (c) of this section.
66	66	(c-3) If the amount allocated to be transferred to the Texas
67	67	severance tax revenue and oil and natural gas (Texas STRONG)
68	68	defense fund for a state fiscal year under Subsection (c-1) or (c-2)
69	69	of this section would cause the total amount allocated for transfer
70	70	to the fund under those subsections for a state fiscal year to
71	71	exceed $500 million, the comptroller shall:
72	72	(1) reduce the amount allocated to be transferred to
73	73	the fund under the applicable subsection by the amount that would
74	74	exceed $500 million for the year; and
75	75	(2) transfer the amount by which the allocation is
76	76	reduced under Subdivision (1) of this subsection to the property
77	77	tax relief fund or a successor fund.
78	78	SECTION 2. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
79	79	adding Section 49-g-1 to read as follows:
80	80	Sec. 49-g-1. (a) The Texas severance tax revenue and oil
81	81	and natural gas (Texas STRONG) defense fund is established as a fund
82	82	in the state treasury.
83	83	(b) The Texas severance tax revenue and oil and natural gas
84	84	(Texas STRONG) defense fund may consist of:
85	85	(1) money transferred to the fund under Section 49-g
86	86	of this article;
87	87	(2) money appropriated to the fund by the legislature;
88	88	(3) money that the legislature by statute dedicates
89	89	for deposit to the credit of the fund;
90	90	(4) gifts or grants contributed to the fund; and
91	91	(5) investment earnings and interest earned on amounts
92	92	credited to the fund.
93	93	(c) The legislature may appropriate money from the Texas
94	94	severance tax revenue and oil and natural gas (Texas STRONG)
95	95	defense fund only for use in areas of the state that are
96	96	significantly affected by oil and gas production as determined by
97	97	the legislature. Money appropriated from the fund may be used as
98	98	provided by general law to fund grants to state agencies, political
99	99	subdivisions of the state, public institutions of higher education,
100	100	and nonprofit organizations to address public health and safety
101	101	concerns and workforce preparedness needs and to supplement
102	102	educational opportunities.
103	103	(d) On the last day of each state fiscal biennium, the
104	104	comptroller of public accounts shall transfer any unobligated and
105	105	unappropriated money that remains in the fund on that date to the
106	106	general revenue fund.
107	107	SECTION 3. The following temporary provision is added to
108	108	the Texas Constitution:
109	109	TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies
110	110	to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th Legislature,
111	111	Regular Session, 2025, providing for the creation of the Texas
112	112	severance tax revenue and oil and natural gas (Texas STRONG)
113	113	defense fund, dedicating the money in that fund to benefit areas of
114	114	the state significantly affected by oil and gas production, and
115	115	providing for the transfer of certain general revenues to that
116	116	fund, the economic stabilization fund, and certain other funds and
117	117	accounts.
118	118	(b) Section 49-g-1, Article III, of this constitution, as
119	119	added by the amendment, and the amendment to Section 49-g, Article
120	120	III, of this constitution, take effect September 1, 2027.
121	121	(c) This temporary provision expires September 1, 2028.
122	122	SECTION 4. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
123	123	submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2025.
124	124	The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
125	125	proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for the
126	126	creation of the Texas severance tax revenue and oil and natural gas
127	127	(Texas STRONG) defense fund, dedicating the money in that fund to
128	128	benefit areas of the state significantly affected by oil and gas
129	129	production, and providing for the transfer of certain general
130	130	revenues to that fund, the economic stabilization fund, and certain
131	131	other funds and accounts used to construct roads, reduce the
132	132	emission of air contaminants, regulate oil and gas development, and
133	133	provide property tax relief."