| 1 | 1 | | 89R2293 PRL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: West S.B. No. 582 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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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 the disclosure of preliminary reports of certain |
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| 10 | 10 | | special investigations conducted by the Texas Education Agency. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 39.004, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (d-1), (d-2), and |
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| 14 | 14 | | (d-3) to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (d) Except as provided by Subsection (d-1), a [A] written |
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| 16 | 16 | | report of preliminary findings under Subsection (c) and all |
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| 17 | 17 | | associated materials produced by the agency in support of the |
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| 18 | 18 | | report are excepted from public disclosure as audit working papers |
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| 19 | 19 | | of the agency under Section 552.116, Government Code. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (d-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (d) and subject to |
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| 21 | 21 | | Subsection (d-3), a written report of preliminary findings under |
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| 22 | 22 | | Subsection (c) is public information subject to disclosure under |
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| 23 | 23 | | Chapter 552, Government Code, if the commissioner: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) takes an action described by Section 39.003(d) |
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| 25 | 25 | | based on the preliminary findings; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) has not issued a final report under this section |
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| 27 | 27 | | before the 91st day after the date the action was taken. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (d-2) A school district may publicly release a report of |
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| 29 | 29 | | preliminary findings only if the release is approved by an |
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| 30 | 30 | | affirmative vote of the board of trustees of the district. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (d-3) Identifying information of a witness contained in a |
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| 32 | 32 | | report disclosed under Subsection (d-1) or released under |
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| 33 | 33 | | Subsection (d-2) must be redacted. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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