BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1771
85R3589 SRS-D	By: Miles
	Education
	4/21/2017
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) is Texas' seventh largest school district, with close to 73,000 students. It is one of the most diverse in the nation, as well as one of the most culturally diverse in the State of Texas. Out of the top eight most populated school districts, only two do not have single member districts, FBISD being one of those. Surrounding school districts like Houston and Lamar Consolidated use single member districts to elect their trustees.

 

Fort Bend's antiquated all at-large system is no longer beneficial to our students and families, and is not reflective of the makeup of the community. Fort Bend County state representatives, county commissioners, constables, and city council members are all elected from single member districts, but not the school board trustees. Strengths of single-member districts rest in close ties between representatives and their constituents and the accountability of representatives to the voters.

 

S.B. 1771 creates the election of single-member districts, as well as one trustee to be elected from the district at large for Fort Bend Independent School District.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1771 amends current law relating to the election of trustees of certain school districts.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 11.052, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (d), as follows:

 

(b-1) Provides that Subsection (c) does not apply in the case of an order adopted under this subsection. Requires the board of trustees of an independent school district that meets certain criteria to order that trustees of the district are to be elected in the described manner.

 

(d) Provides that this subsection applies to an order of the board adopted under Subsection (a), (b), or (b-1).

 

SECTION 2. Requires the board of trustees of a school district to which Section 11.052(b-1), Education Code, as added by this Act, applies, to adopt an order as required by that section not later than December 31, 2017.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.