By Krusee H.B. No. 712 76R1329 KKA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the authority of mayors of certain municipalities to 1-3 grant charters for open-enrollment schools. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Education Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 12.1012 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 12.1012. MUNICIPAL CHARTERS. (a) In addition to the 1-8 other charters authorized under this subchapter, the mayor of a 1-9 municipality with a population of 500,000 or more may grant not 1-10 more than five charters each calendar year for open-enrollment 1-11 charter schools to be located within the boundaries of the 1-12 municipality. A renewal of a charter granted under this section is 1-13 not included for purposes of the annual limitation prescribed by 1-14 this subsection. 1-15 (b) An applicant for a charter under this section must: 1-16 (1) be an eligible entity, as defined in Section 1-17 12.101(a); and 1-18 (2) submit an application to the mayor on the form 1-19 prescribed by the State Board of Education under Section 12.110 1-20 that contains the information required under Section 12.111. 1-21 (c) A mayor shall adopt criteria to use in selecting a 1-22 program for which to grant a charter. In adopting criteria, the 1-23 mayor is not subject to Section 12.110(d). 1-24 (d) The State Board of Education shall: 2-1 (1) on behalf of the mayor who granted the charter, 2-2 prepare a written charter contract to be signed by the mayor, the 2-3 chief operating officer of the school, and the chair of the board; 2-4 (2) on request by a mayor authorized to grant a 2-5 charter under this section, provide advice and assistance relating 2-6 to open-enrollment charter schools to the mayor; and 2-7 (3) perform and exercise all other duties and powers 2-8 in relation to an open-enrollment charter school granted a charter 2-9 under this section that the board performs and exercises in 2-10 relation to an open-enrollment charter school granted a charter by 2-11 the board, except that: 2-12 (A) the consent of the mayor who granted the 2-13 charter is required before the board may: 2-14 (i) revise the charter under Section 2-15 12.114; or 2-16 (ii) modify or revoke the charter or place 2-17 the open-enrollment charter school on probation under Section 2-18 12.115; and 2-19 (B) the mayor who granted the charter shall 2-20 determine whether to renew the charter. 2-21 (e) Except as provided by this section, an open-enrollment 2-22 charter school granted a charter under this section is subject to 2-23 this code to the same extent as an open-enrollment charter school 2-24 granted a charter by the State Board of Education. 2-25 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-26 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-4 passage, and it is so enacted.