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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Texas Education Reform Task Force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "task force" means the |
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Texas Education Reform Task Force. |
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SECTION 2. TEXAS EDUCATION REFORM TASK FORCE. (a) The task |
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force is established to develop and make recommendations regarding |
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statutory reform of the Education Code and the public school |
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system. |
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(b) The task force consists of 13 members appointed as |
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follows: |
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(1) four members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) four members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(3) four members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives; and |
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(4) a member of the State Board of Education, as |
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designated by the chair of that board. |
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(c) The members appointed by the governor must have an |
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interest in public education and include at least: |
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(1) one current or retired classroom teacher with at |
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least 10 years of teaching experience; |
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(2) one member of the business community; and |
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(3) one member of the civic community. |
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(d) The appointments made by the lieutenant governor and the |
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speaker of the house of representatives must each consist of: |
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(1) three members of the applicable legislative |
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chamber; and |
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(2) an administrator in the public school system or an |
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elected member of the board of trustees of a school district. |
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(e) In making appointments under Subsections (b)(1), (2), |
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and (3), the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the |
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house of representatives shall coordinate to ensure that the |
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membership of the task force reflects, to the extent possible, the |
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ethnic and geographic diversity of this state. |
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SECTION 3. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall designate |
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the presiding officer of the task force. |
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SECTION 4. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of the |
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task force is not entitled to compensation for service on the task |
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force but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary |
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expenses incurred in performing task force duties. |
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SECTION 5. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING. (a) The |
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Texas Education Agency shall provide administrative support for the |
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task force. |
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(b) Funding for the administrative and operational expenses |
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of the task force shall be provided by legislative appropriation |
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made to the Texas Education Agency for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) The task force shall |
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develop recommendations for statutory changes to address issues |
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related to the regulation of public education in this state, |
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including recommendations for changes that: |
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(1) promote efficiency; |
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(2) reduce regulatory burdens; and |
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(3) return focus to educational priorities. |
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(b) The task force may establish one or more working groups |
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composed of not more than five members of the task force to study, |
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discuss, and address specific statutory issues and recommendations |
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to refer to the task force for consideration. |
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SECTION 7. REPORT. Not later than August 31, 2026, the task |
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force shall prepare and deliver a report to the governor and the |
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legislature that contains recommendations for legislative action |
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to improve the Education Code and the provision of public education |
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in accordance with that code. |
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SECTION 8. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) The |
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task force may hold public meetings as needed to fulfill its duties |
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under this Act. |
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(b) The task force is subject to Chapters 551 and 552, |
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Government Code. |
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SECTION 9. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The Texas |
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Education Agency may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any |
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source to support the task force. |
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SECTION 10. IMPLEMENTATION. The task force is required to |
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implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature |
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appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the |
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legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the Texas Education Agency may, but is not required to, |
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support the task force using other appropriations available for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 11. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |