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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to public notice and forums concerning finalists for the |
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position of superintendent of a school district. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 11.1514 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 11.1514. SUPERINTENDENT: PUBLIC NOTICE OF FINALISTS |
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AND PUBLIC FORUM. (a) In accordance with Section 552.126, |
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Government Code, the board of trustees of a school district shall |
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give public notice of the name of each finalist the board is |
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considering for the position of superintendent of the district. |
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(b) A board of trustees considering superintendent |
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finalists may hold one or more limited public forums at which, |
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except as provided by Subsection (c), each finalist shall speak and |
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parents of district students, teachers, and other community members |
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may offer relevant information and opinions and ask relevant |
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questions of any of the finalists. The board may establish |
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procedures for the public forum, including establishment of a |
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reasonable maximum time limit for each speaker. |
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(c) A finalist is not required to speak at a public forum |
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under Subsection (b) if the finalist is absent from the forum |
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because of: |
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(1) a death in the finalist's family; or |
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(2) the illness of the finalist or of an immediate |
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family member of the finalist. |
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(d) The board shall give public notice of the subject |
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matter, time, date, and place of a public forum not later than the |
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fifth business day before the date the public forum is to be held. |
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SECTION 2. (a) If S.B. 602, Acts of the 82nd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2011, does not become law, Section 552.126, |
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Government Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 552.126. EXCEPTION: NAME OF APPLICANT FOR |
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SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The name of an applicant |
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for the position of superintendent of a public school district is |
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excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021, except that the |
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board of trustees must give public notice of the name or names of |
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the finalists being considered for the position at least 30 [21] |
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days before the date of the meeting at which a final action or vote |
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is to be taken on the employment of the person. |
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(b) If S.B. 602, Acts of the 82nd Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2011, becomes law, Section 552.126, Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 552.126. EXCEPTION: CONFIDENTIALITY OF NAME OF |
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APPLICANT FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The name of |
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an applicant for the position of superintendent of a public school |
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district is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021, |
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except that the board of trustees must give public notice of the |
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name or names of the finalists being considered for the position at |
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least 30 [21] days before the date of the meeting at which a final |
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action or vote is to be taken on the employment of the person. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies with |
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respect to a meeting held after October 31, 2011, at which the board |
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of trustees of a school district is to take a final action or vote on |
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the employment of a finalist as superintendent. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the |
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last day of the legislative session. |