84R1206 JJT-D
	By: Hinojosa, Eltife, Nelson	S.B. No. 16

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to excepting certain appropriations from computations
	regarding the constitutional limitation on the rate of growth of
	appropriations.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 316.001, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 316.001.  LIMIT. The rate of growth of appropriations
	in a biennium from state tax revenues, other than state tax revenues
	[not] dedicated by the constitution and state tax revenues
	appropriated for the purpose of paying the principal of or interest
	on state debt, may not exceed the estimated rate of growth of the
	state's economy.
	SECTION 2.  Sections 316.002(a) and (e), Government Code,
	are amended to read as follows:
	(a)  Before the Legislative Budget Board submits the budget
	as prescribed by Section 322.008(c), the board shall establish:
	(1)  the estimated rate of growth of the state's economy
	from the current biennium to the next biennium;
	(2)  the level of appropriations for the current
	biennium from state tax revenues, other than state tax revenues
	[not] dedicated by the constitution and state tax revenues
	appropriated for the purpose of paying the principal of or interest
	on state debt; and
	(3)  the amount of state tax revenues, other than state
	tax revenues [not] dedicated by the constitution and state tax
	revenues appropriated for the purpose of paying the principal of or
	interest on state debt, that could be appropriated for the next
	biennium within the limit established by the estimated rate of
	growth of the state's economy.
	(e)  In the absence of an action by the Legislative Budget
	Board to adopt a spending limit as provided in Subsections (a) and
	(b), the estimated rate of growth in the state's economy from the
	current biennium to the next biennium shall be treated as if it were
	zero, and the amount of state tax revenues, other than state tax
	revenues [not] dedicated by the constitution and state tax revenues
	appropriated for the purpose of paying the principal of or interest
	on state debt, that could be appropriated within the limit
	established by the estimated rate of growth in the state's economy
	shall be the same as the level of appropriations for the current
	biennium.
	SECTION 3.  Section 316.006, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 316.006.  LIMIT ON BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS. Unless
	authorized by majority vote of the members of the board from each
	house, the Legislative Budget Board budget recommendations
	relating to the proposed appropriations of state tax revenues,
	other than state tax revenues [not] dedicated by the constitution
	and state tax revenues appropriated for the purpose of paying the
	principal of or interest on state debt, may not exceed the limit
	adopted by the committee under Section 316.005.
	SECTION 4.  Section 316.007(a), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(a)  The Legislative Budget Board shall include in its budget
	recommendations the proposed limit of appropriations from state tax
	revenues, other than state tax revenues [not] dedicated by the
	constitution and state tax revenues appropriated for the purpose of
	paying the principal of or interest on state debt.
	SECTION 5.  Section 316.008(a), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(a)  Unless the legislature adopts a resolution under
	Section 22(b), Article VIII, [Section 22(b), of the] Texas
	Constitution, raising the proposed limit on appropriations, the
	proposed limit is binding on the legislature with respect to all
	appropriations for the next biennium made from state tax revenues,
	other than state tax revenues [not] dedicated by the constitution
	and state tax revenues appropriated for the purpose of paying the
	principal of or interest on state debt.
	SECTION 6.  (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply
	only in relation to appropriations made for the state fiscal
	biennium beginning September 1, 2017, and subsequent state fiscal
	bienniums.
	(b)  Appropriations for the state fiscal biennium that
	begins September 1, 2015, are governed by Subchapter A, Chapter
	316, Government Code, as that subchapter provided immediately
	before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is
	continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect on the effective date of
	the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature,
	Regular Session, 2015, excepting certain appropriations for
	reducing state debt from the constitutional limitation on the rate
	of growth of appropriations. If that amendment is not approved by
	the voters, this Act has no effect.