| 1 | 1 | | 81R26848 KKA-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Martinez Fischer H.B. No. 4111 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4111: |
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| 4 | 4 | | By: Hochberg C.S.H.B. No. 4111 |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to public notice requirements and other provisions |
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| 10 | 10 | | applicable to the board of trustees of a school district proposing |
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| 11 | 11 | | to close a district campus. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is |
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| 14 | 14 | | amended by adding Section 11.163 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 11.163. CAMPUS CLOSURES. (a) If the board of trustees |
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| 16 | 16 | | of a school district proposes to close a campus, the board must: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) at least 10 days before the date of the first |
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| 18 | 18 | | public meeting required under Subdivision (4), send written notice |
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| 19 | 19 | | of the proposed closure, including a translation of the text of the |
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| 20 | 20 | | notice into Spanish, by regular mail to: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (A) the parent of each child who would otherwise |
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| 22 | 22 | | attend the campus during the first school year that the campus is |
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| 23 | 23 | | proposed to be closed; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (B) each member of the legislature who represents |
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| 25 | 25 | | territory included in the boundaries of the school district; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) provide a period of at least 90 days after the date |
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| 27 | 27 | | notice is sent under Subdivision (1) for soliciting and considering |
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| 28 | 28 | | public comment regarding the proposed closure; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (3) promptly make district documents associated with |
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| 30 | 30 | | the proposed closure, other than documents that are confidential |
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| 31 | 31 | | under law, available to the public through the Internet and by other |
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| 32 | 32 | | means for persons without Internet access; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | (4) hold at least two public meetings during the |
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| 34 | 34 | | period described by Subdivision (2) at which the district |
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| 35 | 35 | | superintendent and board members are available to answer questions |
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| 36 | 36 | | and receive comments, including questions and comments relating to |
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| 37 | 37 | | the documents made available under Subdivision (3). |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) If, after conclusion of the period described by |
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| 39 | 39 | | Subsection (a)(2) and consideration of public comments, the board |
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| 40 | 40 | | of trustees continues to conclude that the campus should be closed, |
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| 41 | 41 | | the district must develop a written closure plan that: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (1) describes the ways in which each affected child's |
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| 43 | 43 | | education will be altered as a result of the closure; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) identifies each educational program available at |
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| 45 | 45 | | the campus being closed that will not be available at each campus to |
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| 46 | 46 | | which students will be transferred as a result of the closure; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (3) describes the effect of the closure on student |
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| 48 | 48 | | safety, including such elements as the number of registered sex |
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| 49 | 49 | | offenders residing in the vicinity of each campus to which students |
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| 50 | 50 | | will be transferred as a result of the closure; and |
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| 51 | 51 | | (4) addresses questions and comments raised by the |
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| 52 | 52 | | public during the period described by Subsection (a)(2). |
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| 53 | 53 | | (c) The district must make the closure plan required by |
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| 54 | 54 | | Subsection (b) available to the public through the Internet and by |
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| 55 | 55 | | other appropriate means for persons without Internet access. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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