89R3132 CXP-F     By: Isaac H.B. No. 3143       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to establishing the safety protection grant program under   which the parent of a student whose safety is in jeopardy may elect   to transfer the student to another public school campus or receive   funding for the student to attend private school.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 38, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter H to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER H. SAFETY PROTECTION GRANT PROGRAM          Sec. 38.401.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program"   means the safety protection grant program established under this   subchapter.          Sec. 38.402.  SCHOOL CHOICE. Under the safety protection   grant program, the parent of an eligible student may elect for the   student to:                (1)  be transferred to another school district campus   or another school district as provided by Section 38.404; or                (2)  receive a safety protection grant to offset the   cost of educating the student in a private school, including a home   school, as provided by Section 38.405.          Sec. 38.403.  ELIGIBILITY. (a) A student is eligible to   participate in the program if:                (1)  the student is enrolled in a school district; and                (2)  the student's parent determines that the student's   safety is in jeopardy at the school in which the student is   enrolled.          (b)  A student may participate in the program until the   earliest of the following dates:                (1)  the date on which the student graduates from high   school; or                (2)  the date on which the student is no longer eligible   to attend a public school under Section 25.001.          Sec. 38.404.  TRANSFER. (a) On request of the parent of an   eligible student, the board of trustees of the school district in   which the student is enrolled shall transfer the student to:                (1)  another district campus; or                (2)  another school district.          (b)  A transfer under this section must be to a campus or   school district, as applicable, agreeable to the student's parent.          (c)  Section 25.034 does not apply to a transfer under this   section.          (d)  A receiving school district may not charge a tuition fee   under Section 25.038 to a student who transfers to the district   under this section.          (e)  A school district to which a student seeks to transfer   under this section may accept or reject the transfer request in   accordance with district policy.          Sec. 38.405.  FINANCING. (a) A student who transfers to a   school district other than the district in which the student   resides under the program is included in the average daily   attendance of the district in which the student attends school.          (b)  A school district is entitled to the allotment provided   by Section 48.1075 for each eligible student participating in the   program. If the district has a local revenue level greater than the   guaranteed local revenue level but less than the level established   under Section 48.257, a school district is entitled under rules   adopted by the commissioner to additional state aid in an amount   equal to the difference between the cost to the district of   providing services to a student participating in the program and   the sum of the state aid received because of the allotment under   Section 48.1075 and money from the available school fund   attributable to the student.          (c)  A school district is entitled to additional facilities   assistance under Section 48.3015 if the district agrees to:                (1)  accept a number of students participating in the   program that is at least one percent of the district's average daily   attendance for the preceding school year; and                (2)  provide services to each student participating in   the program until the student:                      (A)  voluntarily decides to attend another   school;                      (B)  graduates from high school; or                      (C)  is no longer eligible to attend a public   school under Section 25.001.          (d)  If a student's parent elects for the student to receive   a safety protection grant to attend a private school under the   program, the amount of the grant is the lesser of:                (1)  the amount of the allotment a school district   would have been entitled to receive for the student under Section   48.1075(a) if the student had transferred to the district under the   program; or                (2)  the amount of tuition charged for the student by   the private school.          (e)  Federal money or money in the available school fund may   not be used to pay for safety protection grants under the program.          Sec. 38.406.  SAFETY PROTECTION ACCOUNT. (a) The safety   protection account is an account in the foundation school fund   administered by the comptroller.          (b)  The account consists of:                (1)  money transferred to the credit of the account   under Section 48.312;                (2)  investment earnings and interest earned on money   in the account; and                (3)  other amounts appropriated to the account by the   legislature.          (c)  Money in the account may be used only to award safety   protection grants for students to attend a private school under the   program.          Sec. 38.407.  RULES. The commissioner shall adopt rules as   necessary to implement this subchapter, including rules to prevent   fraud or abuse.  The rules may not affect or attempt to control the   program, curriculum, or other operation of a private school that   receives money under the program.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 48, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 48.1075 to read as follows:          Sec. 48.1075.  SAFETY PROTECTION GRANT PROGRAM ALLOTMENT.     (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), for each student in   average daily attendance who is participating in the safety   protection grant program under Subchapter H, Chapter 38, to attend   school in a district other than the district in which the student   resides, the district in which the student attends school is   entitled to an annual allotment equal to the basic allotment   multiplied by a weight of 0.1.          (b)  The total number of allotments under this section to   which a district is entitled may not exceed the number by which the   number of students participating in the safety protection grant   program to attend school in the district exceeds the number of   students who reside in the district and participate in the safety   protection grant program to attend school in another district.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter G, Chapter 48, Education Code, is   amended by adding Sections 48.3015 and 48.312 to read as follows:          Sec. 48.3015.  ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR DISTRICTS WITH   STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN SAFETY PROTECTION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) A   district is entitled to additional assistance under this section as   provided by Section 38.405(c).          (b)  The amount of additional assistance under this section   is computed by subtracting the number of students residing in the   district and participating in the safety protection grant program   to attend school in another district for the year in which the   assistance is granted from the number of students participating in   the safety protection grant program to attend school in the   district for that year and multiplying the difference by $266.          Sec. 48.312.  SAFETY PROTECTION GRANT. (a) A person to whom   the commissioner awards a safety protection grant under Subchapter   H, Chapter 38, is entitled to receive an amount equal to the amount   of the grant as provided by that subchapter.          (b)  The agency shall transfer to the credit of the safety   protection account established under Section 38.406 the amount   appropriated to the agency for purposes of this section for use by   the commissioner in awarding grants as provided by Subchapter H,   Chapter 38.          SECTION 4.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026   school year.          SECTION 5.  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.