79R8304 T

By:  Truitt                                                       H.B. No. 1787



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the admissions policies of charter schools.                       
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 12, Education Code, is amended by 
renumbering the subsequent subsections appropriately, and adding a 
new Subsection (b) to Section 12.117 to read as follows:
	(b)  The following categories of students are exempted from 
the lottery described in Subsection (a)(2)(A):
		(1)  children and grandchildren of the founders of the 
open-enrollment charter school,
		(2)  children of employees of the charter school and 
the charter holder
		(3)  siblings of students enrolled in the school                       
	SECTION 2.  Chapter 12, Education Code, is amended by adding 
a new subsection renumbered appropriately to Section 12.117, as 
follows:
	Total enrollment shall not exceed the maximum number 
of students approved in the open-enrollment charter.  
Students who reside outside the geographic boundaries 
stated in the open-enrollment charter shall not be 
admitted to the charter school until all eligible 
applicants who reside within the boundaries and have 
submitted a timely application have been enrolled.  
Then, if the open-enrollment charter so provides, the 
charter holder may admit transfer students to the 
charter school in accordance with the terms of the 
open-enrollment charter.
	SECTION 3.  This Act validates and confirms in all respects 
the admission of any students described in this Act to any 
open-enrollment charter school prior to the effective date of this 
Act.  This Act does not validate any official act or proceeding 
that, under the law of this state at the time the act or proceeding 
occurred, was a misdemeanor or a felony.
	SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect 
immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members 
elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas 
Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for 
immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2005.