bill requiring school district records portals

The text as introduced · 417 words

89R10067 BCH-D

By: Metcalf
H.B. No. 3373

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the provision by school districts of certain records

and financial information to the public.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 44, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 44.906 to read as follows:

Sec. 44.906. TRANSPARENCY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; ONLINE

PORTAL. (a) For the purpose of streamlining and minimizing

requests for public information and reducing the associated costs

of fulfilling those requests, a school district shall establish,

maintain, and update regularly on the district's Internet website a

publicly accessible online portal developed in a user-friendly

format that allows a person to access a repository of critical

documents relating to the district's operations in real time

through interactive dashboards and data visualization tools.

(b) The online portal must be searchable and allow a person

to specify the records sought, including by keywords, date ranges,

and document types.

(c) The repository of critical documents must include:

(1) a copy of each contract and consulting agreement

entered into by the district, including:

(A) procurement records required by state law;

(B) the total value of the contract;

(C) change orders;

(D) payment applications;

(E) project timelines;

(F) conflict of interest disclosures;

(G) information regarding the selection process

for the contractor or consultant, as applicable; and

(H) any other key construction documents;

(2) a disclosure of the district's investment

policies, including information regarding:

(A) investment objectives;

(B) risk tolerance;

(C) diversification strategies; and

(D) fee structures;

(3) regular performance reports on the district's

investment portfolio, including information regarding:

(A) returns;

(B) fees paid;

(C) benchmark comparisons; and

(D) any company that employs a person involved in

buying, selling, or trading district bonds;

(4) the minutes, certified agenda, or recording, as

applicable, of each regular or special meeting of the district's

board of trustees, including a document in a portable document

format (PDF) of each agenda item, if available; and

(5) the district's financial reports.

(d) Not later than 30 days after the date a school district

creates, receives, or modifies a document described by Subsection

(c), the district shall update the repository of critical documents

accordingly.

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, 2025.