By: Nelson, Eltife S.B. No. 15
 
      Hinojosa
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to state tax reductions and the limit on appropriations
  from certain state tax revenue for a state fiscal biennium.
         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 for tax relief, 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 for tax relief; 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 for tax relief,
  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 for tax relief, 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 for
  tax relief, 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 for tax relief.
         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 for
  tax relief.
         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.