LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 17, 2013

TO:	Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB773 by Farney (Relating to a requirement that students at an open-enrollment charter school recite the pledges of allegiance to the United States flag and the state flag.), As Passed 2nd House

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the governing board of an open-enrollment charter school to adopt policies requiring students to recite the pledges to the United States and Texas flags, and provide for a moment of silence after reciting the pledges.
 
The bill would require each board of trustees of a school district and the governing board of an open-enrollment charter school to require the United States and Texas flags to be prominently displayed in each classroom. Each flag would be required to be at least two feet by three feet. A district or charter school could raise money and accept gifts, grants, and donations to purchase the required flags. This subsection would apply beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. 

Local Government Impact

There may be costs to comply with the requirements of the flag size for some school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. School districts and charter schools could raise funds and accept gifts, donations, and grants to defray the cost of purchasing flags. The provisions related to the flags would not apply until the 2016-2017 school year. Once the appropriate sized flags were purchased, it is assumed that costs would be minimal to maintain the required flags in each classroom. 

Source Agencies:

701 Central Education Agency

LBB Staff:

UP, JBi, JSc