84R7568 KKA-D
 
  By: Galindo H.B. No. 1327
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the recall of members of school district boards of
  trustees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 11, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter J to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER J. RECALL OF MEMBERS OF BOARDS OF TRUSTEES
         Sec. 11.451.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "recall
  election" means an election conducted under this subchapter to
  recall a member of a school district board of trustees.
         Sec. 11.452.  GROUNDS FOR RECALL. A member of a school
  district board of trustees may be recalled from office if the bond
  rating for the district's bonds is lowered by a nationally
  recognized investment rating firm primarily on the basis of
  discretionary actions taken by the board of trustees.
         Sec. 11.453.  ORDERING ELECTION. Except as otherwise
  provided by this subchapter, the board of trustees of a school
  district shall order a recall election for a trustee if the board is
  presented with a petition that:
               (1)  meets the requirements of Section 11.454; and
               (2)  is certified as valid under Section 11.457.
         Sec. 11.454.  PETITION. (a) A petition for a recall
  election must have, preceding the space reserved for signatures on
  each page, the following:
               (1)  a statement substantially as follows: "This
  petition is to require that an election be held in (name of school
  district) on the recall of trustee (name of trustee)."; and
               (2)  a brief description of the discretionary actions
  taken by the board of trustees that resulted in the district's bond
  rating being lowered.
         (b)  A petition may not name more than one trustee.
         (c)  To be considered valid under Section 11.457, a petition
  must be signed by a number of registered voters residing in the
  school district equal to or greater than 10 percent of the number of
  votes cast in the most recent general election for trustees in the
  district.
         (d)  Each person signing a petition must enter beside the
  person's signature the date the voter signs the petition. A
  signature may not be counted if the date of signature is earlier
  than:
               (1)  the 180th day after the date the trustee's current
  term began; or
               (2)  the 90th day before the date the petition is
  submitted to the board of trustees.
         (e)  Each person signing a petition must provide the person's
  current voter registration number, printed name, and residential
  address, including zip code.
         Sec. 11.455.  ACTION ON PETITION. (a) Not later than the
  fifth day after the date a petition for a recall election is
  received in the office of the board of trustees, the board shall
  submit the petition to the secretary of the board. If the petition
  is to require a recall election for the trustee who serves as
  secretary, the board shall appoint an acting secretary to perform
  the secretary's duties under this subchapter.
         (b)  Not later than the fifth day after the date the petition
  is submitted to the secretary, the secretary shall:
               (1)  begin the process of determining whether the
  petition is signed by the required number of registered voters in
  the school district as provided by Section 11.454(c); and
               (2)  file an application with a district court in the
  county in which the school district is primarily located requesting
  a hearing and determination under Section 11.456.
         (c)  The board of trustees or secretary of the board is not
  required to take action in accordance with this section if the
  trustee named in the petition resigns the office of trustee.
         Sec. 11.456.  COURT HEARING REGARDING GROUNDS FOR RECALL.
  (a) A district court that receives an application under Section
  11.455(b)(2) shall conduct a hearing to determine if sufficient
  facts exist to support the allegation that the district's bond
  rating was lowered primarily on the basis of discretionary actions
  taken by the board of trustees.
         (b)  The court must conduct the hearing not later than the
  10th day after the date the court receives the application.
         (c)  The court shall give notice of the hearing to the
  trustee named in the petition and other interested parties.
         (d)  After conducting the hearing, the court shall determine
  if sufficient facts exist to support the allegation and inform the
  secretary of the board of trustees of the court's determination. If
  the court does not find that sufficient facts exist, the recall
  process terminates and no further action may be taken as a result of
  the petition.
         (e)  The district court is not required to conduct a hearing
  and make the determination required by this section if the trustee
  named in the petition resigns the office of trustee, and the court
  may cancel a hearing scheduled to begin after the date of
  resignation or discontinue a hearing in progress on the date of
  resignation, as applicable.
         Sec. 11.457.  CERTIFICATION OF PETITION VALIDITY OR
  INVALIDITY. If the court determines under Section 11.456 that
  sufficient facts exist and the recall process may proceed, the
  secretary of the board of trustees, not later than the 15th day
  after the date the secretary receives notice of the court's
  determination, shall certify in writing to the board of trustees
  whether the petition is valid or invalid, based on the secretary's
  review of the signatures on the petition. If the secretary
  determines the petition is invalid, the secretary shall state each
  reason for that determination.
         Sec. 11.458.  DATE OF ELECTION; ORDER. (a) If the secretary
  certifies that a petition is valid, the board of trustees shall, not
  later than the 30th day after the date of certification, order that
  an election be held in the school district on the first Saturday
  after the 62nd day following the date the board orders the election.  
  Section 41.001(a), Election Code, does not apply to an election
  ordered under this subchapter.
         (b)  If the term of the trustee named in the petition expires
  before the first anniversary of the date the secretary certifies
  the petition is valid, the board may not order the election.
         (c)  The board shall state in the order the issue to be voted
  on at the election.
         (d)  The board of trustees is not required under Subsection
  (a) to order an election if the trustee named in the petition
  resigns the office of trustee. If the trustee resigns after the
  board orders the election but before the election is held, the board
  may cancel the election.
         Sec. 11.459.  BALLOT PROPOSITION. The ballot in a recall
  election must be printed to provide for voting for or against the
  proposition: "Recalling (name of school district) trustee (name of
  trustee)."
         Sec. 11.460.  RESULTS OF ELECTION; VACANCY. (a) If the
  majority of votes received in a recall election are for the recall
  of the trustee, the office held by the trustee becomes vacant
  immediately on the canvassing of the votes. The vacancy shall be
  filled as provided by Section 11.060, except as provided by
  Subsection (c).
         (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a trustee recalled
  under this subchapter continues to serve in accordance with Section
  17, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, until the trustee's successor
  qualifies for the office of trustee.
         (c)  If a majority of the members of the board of trustees are
  recalled in a single recall election under this subchapter, the
  board of trustees shall, not later than the 30th day after the date
  on which the vacancies on the board occur as a result of the recall
  election, order a special election to be held on a date specified in
  the order to fill the vacancies. If the board fails to comply with
  this subsection, the county judge of the county in which the school
  district is primarily located shall order the special election.
  The expenses of the special election shall be paid by the district,
  regardless of whether the election is ordered by the board or the
  county judge.
         Sec. 11.461.  MULTIPLE RECALL ATTEMPTS PROHIBITED. The
  board of trustees may not order a recall election for a trustee who
  has been the subject of a previous recall election during the
  trustee's current term.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2016, but only
  if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2015, authorizing elections for the recall of
  independent school district trustees, is approved by the voters.  
  If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no
  effect.