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."