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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the governance of home-rule school districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12.011, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read |
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as follows: |
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(b) The adoption of a home-rule school district charter by a |
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school district does not affect: |
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(1) the district's boundaries; [or] |
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(2) taxes or bonds of the district authorized before |
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the effective date of the charter; or |
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(3) the governing structure of the district or the |
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campuses. |
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(c) A reference in this code or other law to: |
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(1) a home-rule school district means a home-rule |
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school district under this subchapter; and |
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(2) the governing body of a home-rule school district |
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means the board of trustees of a home-rule school district under |
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this subchapter. |
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(d) For purposes of applicable federal and state laws and |
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rules as provided by Sections 12.012 and 12.013: |
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(1) a home-rule school district has the same legal |
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status as any other school district; and |
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(2) a home-rule school district board of trustees has |
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the same legal status as the board of trustees of any other school |
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district. |
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SECTION 2. Section 12.013, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) A home-rule school district and a home-rule school |
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district board of trustees have [has] the powers and entitlements |
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granted to school districts and school district boards of trustees, |
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respectively, under this title and rules adopted under this title, |
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including taxing authority. |
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(c) A home-rule school district and a home-rule school |
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district board of trustees are subject to Subchapters A, C, D, and |
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E, Chapter 11, excluding Sections 11.1511(b)(5) and (14) and |
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Section 11.162. A reference in Chapter 11 to a statute that does |
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not otherwise apply to a home-rule school district, home-rule |
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school district board of trustees, or home-rule school district |
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employee does not by implication apply that statute to a home-rule |
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school district, home-rule district board of trustees, or home-rule |
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district employee. |
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(d) The home-rule school district board of trustees shall |
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make decisions relating to terminating the employment of district |
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employees employed under a contract. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 12, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 12.0135 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.0135. UNIFORM NOTICE REQUIREMENTS. (a) In |
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addition to notice required under Chapter 551, Government Code, a |
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home-rule school district board of trustees shall provide notice |
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of: |
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(1) the appointment of a charter commission under |
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Section 12.014; |
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(2) each meeting of the charter commission under |
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Section 12.015; and |
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(3) the board meeting required under Section 12.0165. |
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(b) Notice under this section must be provided through: |
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(1) e-mail to media serving the district; |
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(2) posting notice on the school district's Internet |
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website, in the office of each school campus in the district, and in |
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the district's central administrative office; and |
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(3) e-mail to district employees and parents if |
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practicable. |
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SECTION 4. Section 12.014, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.014. APPOINTMENT OF CHARTER COMMISSION. The board |
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of trustees of a school district shall appoint a charter commission |
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to frame a home-rule school district charter if: |
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(1) the board receives a petition requesting the |
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appointment of a charter commission [to frame a home-rule school
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district charter] signed by at least five percent of the registered |
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voters of the district; or |
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(2) at least two-thirds of the total membership of the |
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board adopt a resolution ordering that a charter commission be |
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appointed. |
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SECTION 5. Section 12.015(c), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) The charter commission must complete and recommend to |
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the school district board of trustees in the meeting under Section |
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12.0165 a proposed charter not later than the first anniversary of |
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the date of its appointment. The board may set an earlier deadline |
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to complete and recommend the proposed charter under this section. |
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After the commission makes its recommendation [that date], the |
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commission expires and the appointment under Section 12.014 is |
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void. |
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SECTION 6. Subchapter B, Chapter 12, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 12.0165 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.0165. BOARD ADOPTION OF PROPOSED CHARTER. (a) Not |
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later than the 30th day after the date a school district board of |
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trustees receives a proposed charter from the charter commission, |
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the board shall hold an open meeting at which the charter commission |
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shall present the proposed charter to the board for approval. Any |
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community member, parent, student, or employee of the district may |
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be present and participate in the meeting. |
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(b) Not later than the 10th day or earlier than the 30th day |
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before the date of the open meeting, at least three copies of the |
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proposed charter must be available in the office of each school |
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campus in the district and in the school district's central |
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administrative office. A summary of the content of the proposed |
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charter must be attached to each copy. A copy of the proposed |
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charter and the summary must be posted on the district's Internet |
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website. Notice of the meeting as required under Section 12.0135 |
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must include a statement of where and how copies of the proposed |
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charter may be obtained or viewed. The summary must be: |
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(1) made available to district employees, parents, |
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community members, and members of the media; and |
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(2) e-mailed to district employees and parents if |
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practicable. |
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(c) The school district board of trustees may amend the |
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proposed charter. The board must adopt any amendments and the |
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proposed charter, including any amendments adopted, by majority |
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vote of the board. |
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SECTION 7. Section 12.018, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.018. LEGAL REVIEW. The school district board of |
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trustees [charter commission] shall submit the proposed charter to |
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the commissioner. As soon as practicable, but not later than the |
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30th day after the date the commissioner receives the proposed |
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charter, the commissioner shall review the proposed charter to |
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ensure that the proposed charter complies with any applicable laws |
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and shall recommend to the board [charter commission] any |
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modifications necessary. If the commissioner does not act within |
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the prescribed time, the proposed charter is approved. |
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SECTION 8. Sections 12.019(c) and (d), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) At least three copies of the proposed charter must be |
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available in the office of each school campus in the district and in |
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[at] the district's central administrative office between the date |
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of the election order and election day. A copy of the proposed |
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charter and a summary of the content of the proposed charter must be |
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posted on the district's Internet website. Notice of the election |
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must include a statement of where and how copies of the proposed |
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charter may be obtained or viewed. The [A] summary of the content |
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of the proposed charter shall be attached to each copy. The summary |
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also shall be: |
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(1) made available to school district employees, |
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parents, community members, and members of the media; and |
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(2) e-mailed to district employees and parents if |
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practicable. |
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(d) The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or |
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against the proposition "Whether the (name of school district) |
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School District shall be governed under the home-rule school |
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district charter, which is adopted [proposed by a charter
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commission appointed] by the board of trustees and under which only |
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certain laws and rules apply to the district." |
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SECTION 9. Section 12.020(f), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(f) At least three copies of the proposed charter amendment |
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must be available in the office of each school campus in the school |
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district and in the district's central administrative office |
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between the date of the election order and election day. A summary |
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of the content of the proposed charter amendment must be attached to |
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each copy. A copy of the proposed charter amendment and the summary |
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of the proposed charter amendment must be posted on the district's |
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Internet website. Notice of the election must include a |
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substantial copy of the proposed charter amendment and must include |
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a statement of where and how copies of the proposed charter |
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amendment may be obtained or viewed. The summary must be: |
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(1) made available to district employees, parents, |
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community members, and members of the media; and |
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(2) e-mailed to district employees and parents if |
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practicable. |
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SECTION 10. Section 12.023(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) As soon as practicable after [a school district adopts] |
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a home-rule school district charter or charter amendment is |
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adopted, the president of the school district board of trustees |
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shall certify to the secretary of state a copy of the charter or |
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amendment showing the approval by the voters of the district. |
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SECTION 11. Section 12.030(g), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(g) The rescission takes effect on a date established by |
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resolution of the governing body but not later than the beginning of |
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the following school year [90th day] after the date of an election |
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held under this section at which [rescission of the charter is
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approved and at which] the number of registered voters required |
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under Subsection (f) vote. As soon as practicable after that |
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election, the governing body shall notify the commissioner and the |
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secretary of state of the results of the election and of the |
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effective date of the rescission. |
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SECTION 12. The following provisions of the Education Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Section 12.017; |
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(2) Section 12.020(j); |
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(3) Section 12.025; and |
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(4) Section 12.026. |
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SECTION 13. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of |
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the legislative session. |