By Johnson                                            H.B. No. 2342
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a right for teachers who have been terminated or
    1-3  nonrenewed pursuant to a reduction in force to be offered a
    1-4  position for which they are certified.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Chapter 13, Subchapter C, Education Code, is
    1-7  amended by adding Section 13.118 to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 13.118.  REDUCTIONS IN FORCE.  (a)  If a school district
    1-9  releases an employee pursuant to Section 13.110(6), the district
   1-10  shall offer the employee any professional position for which the
   1-11  employee is certified that may become vacant or available in the
   1-12  district in the ensuing school year.
   1-13              SECTION 2.  Chapter 21, Subchapter G, Education Code,
   1-14  is amended by adding Section 21.212 to read as follows:
   1-15        Sec. 21.212.  REDUCTIONS IN FORCE.  (a)  If a school district
   1-16  nonrenews or terminates any certified employee pursuant to a
   1-17  reduction in force for financial reasons, the district shall offer
   1-18  the employee any professional position for which the employee is
   1-19  certified that may become vacant or available in the district in
   1-20  the current or ensuing school year.
   1-21        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-22  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-23  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-1  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-2  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.