85R9709 PAM-D By: Lucio S.B. No. 2112 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to creating a single countywide school district in certain counties. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 13, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter D-1 to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER D-1. COUNTY CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES Sec. 13.181. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only to a county that contains an international border and borders the Gulf of Mexico. Sec. 13.182. DETACHMENT OF CERTAIN DISTRICT TERRITORY. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), effective July 1, 2018, the territory of a school district that is partly located in a county subject to this subchapter shall be detached from that district and that territory is annexed and consolidated into a countywide district as provided by Section 13.183. (b) This section does not apply to territory of a school district that is partly located in a county subject to this subchapter if that territory overlaps one or more school districts wholly located in that county and provides only middle school, junior high school, and high school magnet programs, academies, or similar special programs in that territory. Sec. 13.183. CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CERTAIN OTHER TERRITORY. Effective July 1, 2018, each school district wholly located in a county subject to this subchapter and any detached territory to which Section 13.182 applies are consolidated into a single countywide school district. Sec. 13.184. STATUS; TRANSITIONAL GOVERNANCE OF CONSOLIDATED DISTRICT. (a) The consolidated district is an independent school district. (b) The board of trustees of the consolidating school district wholly located in the county that had the largest enrollment during the 2017-2018 school year serves as the board of trustees of the consolidated district until the next uniform election date, at which time the consolidated school district shall elect a board of trustees as provided by Section 13.185. Sec. 13.185. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT. (a) Notwithstanding Subchapter C, Chapter 11, the consolidated school district is governed by a board of trustees elected as follows: (1) two trustees elected from each county commissioners precinct; and (2) one trustee elected from the county at large. (b) The trustees serve staggered terms of four years, with the terms of four or five of the trustees expiring every two years, as appropriate. (c) At the first election at which the trustees are elected in the manner authorized by this section and after each redistricting, all positions on the board shall be filled. The trustees then elected shall draw lots to determine the four trustees who serve an initial term of two years. (d) The trustee elected from the county at large serves as the presiding officer of the board of trustees. Sec. 13.186. TITLE TO PROPERTY; ASSUMPTION OF DEBT. (a) Title to all property of the consolidating districts wholly located in the county vests in the consolidated district, and the consolidated district assumes and is liable for the outstanding indebtedness of those consolidating districts. (b) Title to all real property of a district from which territory is detached under Section 13.182 vests in the consolidated district, and the consolidated district assumes and is liable for any portion of the indebtedness of the district from which the territory is detached that is allocated to the consolidated district as provided by Section 13.004. Sec. 13.187. REPORT. (a) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, the board of trustees of the consolidated school district shall prepare and deliver to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and presiding officer of each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over public education a report that: (1) evaluates the operation of the consolidated school district to determine whether an increase in administrative efficiency or any cost savings have resulted from the countywide consolidation of school districts and any applicable detached territory; and (2) makes recommendations for any additional legislative action to enhance the efficiency of the operation of the consolidated district. (b) This section expires September 1, 2021. SECTION 2. 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, 2017.