Bill > HB1697

This bill addresses several key provisions related to the management, operation, and contract authority of open-enrollment charter schools in Texas. The bill expands and clarifies rules around conflicts of interest, defining "related parties" of management companies to include current and former board members, administrators, officers, and their relatives within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity. It strengthens restrictions on who can serve on charter school governing bodies, prohibiting individuals with certain criminal convictions or substantial financial interests in management companies from serving. The bill requires that all members of a charter school's governing body be qualified voters and mandates transparency in management service contracts by declaring such contracts and related records as public information. Additionally, the bill prohibits superintendents and administrators from receiving personal financial benefits from management companies or businesses associated with their charter school, and it prevents direct or indirect payments from management companies to governing body members, officers, or employees. The provisions of this bill will generally take effect for the 2025-2026 school year, with some aspects becoming effective immediately if the bill receives a two-thirds vote in the legislature.

Education

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1697