H.B. No. 5089 proposes amendments to the Education Code regarding the creation of a new school district through the detachment of territory from an existing district. The bill specifies that the initiation process differs based on whether the territory is within a single county or spans multiple counties. For a single county, a petition must be presented to the district court, while for multiple counties, it can be initiated by a resolution from the board of trustees or a petition to the commissioners court. The bill also raises the required number of signatures for the petition from 10% to 20% of registered voters in the area from which territory is to be detached.

Additionally, the bill outlines the election process following a valid petition, requiring the boards of trustees to report election results to the appropriate court, which will declare the results. The creation of the new district is contingent upon receiving a majority of votes both in the territory being detached and in the remaining territory of the existing districts. The bill also clarifies that the appropriate court will appoint a board of trustees for the new district and addresses the allocation of outstanding debts from the existing district. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 13.103, Education Code 13.104, Education Code 13.105 (Education Code 13)
House Committee Report: Education Code 13.103, Education Code 13.104, Education Code 13.105 (Education Code 13)