HR1947: HR1947 House Study Committee on Education Finance; create

26 LC 44 3565 House Resolution 1947 By: Representatives Blackmon of the 146th, Erwin of the 32nd, Dubnik of the 29th, Jones of the 47th, Dawson of the 65th, and others A RESOLUTION Creating the House Study Committee on Education Finance; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, state funding for the operation of Georgia's public sc hools is based on the2 Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula, which was established in 1985 and calculates3 funding to local units of administration, including local school systems, based generally on4 full-time equivalent (FTE) student counts and types of programs; and5 WHEREAS, the QBE formula, which requires local school systems t o spend a calculated6 amount of the local five-mill share of funds annually in order to participate in the QBE7 program, is supplemented with state funding for equalization grants for local school systems8 in order to help such systems initiate what they have been unable to accomplish with existing9 revenue sources; and10 WHEREAS, a comprehensive review of equalization grants, local f ive-mill share, and all11 other education financing sources and mechanisms, including programmatic funds, is needed12 to determine whether the current education financing system continues to be an appropriate13 and equitable method of calculating and distributing state education funds; and14 H. R. 1947 - 1 - 26 LC 44 3565 WHEREAS, it would be beneficial to consider overhauling the current education financing15 structure, if necessary, including to identify ways to simplify the QBE funding formula and16 to adequately assist districts within the state with high poverty levels.17 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:18 (1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee19 on Education Finance.20 (2) Members and officers.21 (A) The committee shall be composed of five members of the Hou se of22 Representatives and shall include the chairperson of the House Committee on23 Appropriations, the chairperson of the House Committee on Education, the chairperson24 of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Education, and two members of the25 House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of26 Representatives.27 (B) The Speaker shall designate one of his appointees as chairperson.28 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,29 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or30 legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.31 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee32 may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or33 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and34 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.35 (5) Allowances and funding.36 (A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided37 for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.38 (B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member39 of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds40 H. R. 1947 - 2 - 26 LC 44 3565 necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds41 appropriated to the House of Representatives.42 (6) Report.43 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that44 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the45 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to46 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.47 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for48 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)49 of this paragraph.50 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of51 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. 52 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with53 the Clerk of the House of Representatives.54 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the55 House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu56 thereof.57 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 31, 2026.58 H. R. 1947 - 3 -