SB 874
nine misdemeanors define moral turpitude for charter schools
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the eligibility of a person convicted of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude to serve in certain roles at a charter holder or an open-enrollment charter school.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Public lewdness, indecent exposure and prostitution make the list.
The bill writes a fixed definition of "misdemeanor involving moral turpitude" into the charter school section of the Education Code that governs who may serve in certain roles at a charter holder or open-enrollment charter school. The definition limits the term to nine listed Penal Code misdemeanors, including public lewdness, indecent exposure, enticing a child, prostitution and obscenity offenses. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, charter operators and people seeking those roles will check eligibility against this list instead of an undefined phrase.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 22, 2025 and referred to the Senate Education K-16 committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB874 · 2025-01-22
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the eligibility of a person convicted of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude to serve in certain roles at a charter holder or an open-enrollment charter school.
WHAT IT DOES
Public lewdness, indecent exposure and prostitution make the list.
The bill writes a fixed definition of "misdemeanor involving moral turpitude" into the charter school section of the Education Code that governs who may serve in certain roles at a charter holder or open-enrollment charter school. The definition limits the term to nine listed Penal Code misdemeanors, including public lewdness, indecent exposure, enticing a child, prostitution and obscenity offenses. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, charter operators and people seeking those roles will check eligibility against this list instead of an undefined phrase.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Education K-16
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Derived from itemized gifts, Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
$353,800 raised since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. blank in the state's data, consistent with zero. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.
$502,039 spent since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.
$731,044 cash on hand. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.
$0 loans outstanding. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived sum of itemized contributions in regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Unitemized contributions are not included. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Jan 22, 2025
02/13/2025 S Referred to Education K-16
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Crimes--Against Morals
Crimes--Against Persons--Sexual
Crimes--Miscellaneous
Education--Primary & Secondary--Charter Schools
Education--Primary & Secondary--General
Minors--Crimes Against
Minors--Health & Safety
Text
The text as introduced · 204 words
89R1952 TSS-D By: Birdwell S.B. No. 874 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the eligibility of a person convicted of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude to serve in certain roles at a charter holder or an open-enrollment charter school. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 12.120, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: (c) In this section, "misdemeanor involving moral turpitude" means a misdemeanor under the following provisions of the Penal Code: (1) Section 21.07 (public lewdness); (2) Section 21.08 (indecent exposure); (3) Section 25.04 (enticing a child); (4) Section 38.111 (improper contact with victim); (5) Section 42.08 (abuse of corpse); (6) Section 43.02 (prostitution); (7) Section 43.22 (obscene display or distribution); (8) Section 43.23 (obscenity); or (9) Section 43.24 (sale, distribution, or display of harmful material). SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. SECTION 3. 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.