By: Gervin-Hawkins, Middleton, Sanford H.B. No. 3610
        (Senate Sponsor - Springer)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2021;
  May 14, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
  May 21, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 12,
  Nays 0; May 21, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the applicability of certain laws to certain public
  schools and certain requirements of a charter school that receives
  certain tax exemptions.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 12.1058(a), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  An open-enrollment charter school is considered to be:
               (1)  a local government for purposes of Chapter 791,
  Government Code;
               (2)  a local government for purposes of Chapter 2259,
  Government Code, except that an open-enrollment charter school may
  not issue public securities as provided by Section 2259.031(b),
  Government Code;
               (3)  a political subdivision for purposes of Chapter
  172, Local Government Code; [and]
               (4)  a local governmental entity for purposes of
  Subchapter I, Chapter 271, Local Government Code;
               (5)  a political subdivision for purposes of Section
  16.061, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, with respect to any
  property purchased, leased, constructed, renovated, or improved
  with state funds under Section 12.128 of this code; and
               (6)  a political subdivision for purposes of Section
  11.11, Tax Code.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 12.128(a) and (a-1), Education Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Property purchased with funds received by a charter
  holder under Section 12.106 [after September 1, 2001]:
               (1)  is considered to be public property for all
  purposes under state law;
               (2)  is property of this state held in trust by the
  charter holder for the benefit of the students of the
  open-enrollment charter school; [and]
               (3)  may be used only for a purpose for which a school
  district may use school district property; and
               (4)  is exempt from ad valorem taxation as provided by
  Section 11.11, Tax Code.
         (a-1)  Property leased with funds received by a charter
  holder under Section 12.106 [after September 1, 2001]:
               (1)  is considered to be public property for all
  purposes under state law;
               (2)  is property of this state held in trust by the
  charter holder for the benefit of the students of the
  open-enrollment charter school; [and]
               (3)  may be used only for a purpose for which a school
  district may use school district property; and
               (4)  is exempt from ad valorem taxation as provided by
  Section 11.11, Tax Code.
         SECTION 3.  Section 12.128, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows:
         (a-2)  The owner of property that receives a tax exemption
  under Subsection (a) shall transfer the amount of tax savings from
  the exemption to the tenant or reduce the common area maintenance
  fee in a proportionate amount based upon the square footage of the
  exempt portion of the property.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 11, Tax Code, is amended by
  adding Section 11.211 to read as follows:
         Sec. 11.211.  REAL PROPERTY LEASED TO CERTAIN SCHOOLS. The
  portion of real property that is leased to an independent school
  district, community college district, or open-enrollment charter
  school authorized by Subchapter C, D, or E, Chapter 12, Education
  Code, is qualified and exempt from taxation pursuant to Sections
  11.11 and 11.21 of this code if the portion of the real property
  that is leased to the public school is:
               (1)  used exclusively by the public school for the
  operation or administration of the school or the performance of
  other educational functions of the school; and
               (2)  reasonably necessary for a purpose described in
  Subdivision (1) as found by the school's governing body.
         SECTION 5.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to ad valorem taxes imposed in a tax year that begins on or after the
  effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
  * * * * *