Panel clears change allowing federally recognized tribes to seek State Board charter sponsorship

The House Committee on Rules adopted dash-3 amendments to House Bill 3,953 during a May 21 work session and recommended the bill to the floor with a due-pass vote. The measure, as amended, allows federally recognized tribes to apply directly to the State Board of Education for sponsorship of a public charter school and removes the requirement that a charter applicant be a nonprofit if the applicant is a federally recognized tribe.

The dash-3 amendment adds several conditions: a tribe may submit a proposal only if it does not already operate a public charter school sponsored by the State Board or if the proposed school will be located on the tribe's reservation or within a school district that enrolls students who are members of the tribe (if the tribe lacks a reservation). The amendment also requires tribes to provide notice to the local school board.

Vice Chair Pham moved adoption of the dash-3 amendments; committee members described the amendment as responsive to earlier committee conversations. The amendments were adopted and Vice Chair Pham moved the bill as amended to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. Representative Donna Sanchez will carry the bill on the floor per the committee announcement.

The committee recorded the amendment adoption and the referral to the floor; testimony noted a minimal fiscal impact and "no revenue impact" in the dash-3 amendment packet.