89R4031 RDR-D By: Menéndez S.B. No. 143 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to requiring public schools to designate certain uniform election dates as staff development days. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 25.0814 to read as follows: Sec. 25.0814. SCHOOL CAMPUS DESIGNATED AS POLLING PLACE. (a) If a public school campus is selected for use as a polling place under Section 43.031, Election Code, on the date of a presidential general election, the school district or open-enrollment charter school shall designate the day as a staff development day. (b) The commissioner shall provide a waiver allowing the minutes of instructional time required under Section 25.081(a) for a school district or open-enrollment charter school campus to be reduced by the number of minutes the district or school is required to suspend instruction in compliance with this section. A waiver under this subsection may not result in an inadequate number of minutes of instructional time for students. SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.