HJR124 - Proposing a constitutional amendment creating the state school health and safety fund to provide financial support for projects that improve the physical and mental health of public school students and enhance the safety of public schools in this state.

  89R6031 TSS-D     By: Howard H.J.R. No. 124       A JOINT RESOLUTION   proposing a constitutional amendment creating the state school   health and safety fund to provide financial support for projects   that improve the physical and mental health of public school   students and 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 health and safety fund is   created as a special fund in the state treasury outside the general   revenue fund. Money in the state school health and 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   health and safety fund may be used only to support projects to   improve the physical and mental health of public school students   and enhance the safety of public schools in this state, including   projects to ensure public schools meet school health and safety   standards established by the Texas Education Agency or that   agency's successor in function. Separate accounts may be   established in the state school health and 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 health and 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 health and 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 health and 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 health and 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 health and 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 health and 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 4, 2025.   The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the   proposition: "The constitutional amendment creating the state   school health and safety fund to provide financial support for   projects that improve the physical and mental health of public   school students and enhance the safety of public schools in this   state."