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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the circumstances under which a school district is |
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required to provide air-conditioned transportation for students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12A.004(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A local innovation plan may not provide for the |
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exemption of a district designated as a district of innovation from |
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the following provisions of this title: |
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(1) a state or federal requirement applicable to an |
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open-enrollment charter school operating under Subchapter D, |
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Chapter 12; |
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(2) Subchapters A, C, D, and E, Chapter 11, except that |
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a district may be exempt from Sections 11.1511(b)(5) and (14) and |
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Section 11.162; |
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(3) state curriculum and graduation requirements |
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adopted under Chapter 28; |
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(4) the transportation requirement imposed under |
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Section 34.0031; and |
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(5) [(4)] academic and financial accountability and |
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sanctions under Chapters 39 and 39A. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 34, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 34.0031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 34.0031. AIR-CONDITIONED TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED BY |
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CERTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS. (a) In addition to other requirements |
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provided by law, a school district that begins instruction for |
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students for a school year before the fourth Monday in August shall |
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provide for air-conditioned transportation of students to and from |
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school starting with the first day of instruction and continuing |
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through the fourth Monday in August. |
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(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules to administer this |
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section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 34.008(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A board of county school trustees or school district |
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board of trustees may contract with a mass transit authority, |
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commercial transportation company, or juvenile board for all or any |
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part of a district's public school transportation if the authority, |
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company, or board: |
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(1) requires its school bus drivers to have the |
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qualifications required by and to be certified in accordance with |
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standards established by the Department of Public Safety; [and] |
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(2) uses only those school buses or mass transit |
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authority buses in transporting 15 or more public school students |
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that meet or exceed safety standards for school buses established |
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under Section 34.002; and |
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(3) if applicable, uses only those school buses or |
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mass transit authority buses equipped with air-conditioning as |
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required by Section 34.0031 in transporting public school students |
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to and from school during the period required under that section. |
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SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the commissioner of education shall adopt rules to |
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administer Section 34.0031, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 5. Section 34.008, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies only to a contract entered into or renewed on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. A contract entered into or |
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renewed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law |
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as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
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that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |