Sec. 12.128.  PROPERTY PURCHASED OR LEASED WITH STATE FUNDS.  (a)  Property purchased with funds received by a charter holder under Section 12.106:
(1)  is considered to be public property for all purposes under state law;
(2)  is property of this state held in trust by the charter holder for the benefit of the students of the open-enrollment charter school;
(3)  may be used only for a purpose for which a school district may use school district property; and
(4)  is exempt from ad valorem taxation as provided by Section 11.11, Tax Code.
(a-1)  Property leased with funds received by a charter holder under Section 12.106:
(1)  is considered to be public property for all purposes under state law;
(2)  is property of this state held in trust by the charter holder for the benefit of the students of the open-enrollment charter school;
(3)  may be used only for a purpose for which a school district may use school district property; and
(4)  is exempt from ad valorem taxation as provided by Section 11.11, Tax Code.
(a-2)  The owner of property that receives a tax exemption under Subsection (a) shall transfer the amount of tax savings from the exemption to the tenant or reduce the common area maintenance fee in a proportionate amount based upon the square footage of the exempt portion of the property.
(b)  If at least 50 percent of the funds used by a charter holder to purchase real property are funds received under Section 12.106 before September 1, 2001, the property is considered to be public property to the extent it was purchased with those funds.
(b-1)  Subject to Subsection (b-2), while an open-enrollment charter school is in operation, the charter holder holds title to any property described by Subsection (a) or (b) and may exercise complete control over the property as permitted under the law.
(b-2)  A charter holder may not transfer, sell, or otherwise dispose of any property described by this section without the prior written consent of the agency if:
(1)  the charter holder has received notice of:
(A)  the expiration of the charter holder's charter under Section 12.1141 and the charter has not been renewed; or
(B)  the charter's revocation under Section 12.115(c);
(2)  the charter holder has received notice that the open-enrollment charter school is under discretionary review by the commissioner, which may result in the revocation of the charter or a reconstitution of the governing body of the charter holder under Section 12.115; or
(3)  the open-enrollment charter school for which the charter is held has otherwise ceased to operate.
(c)  The commissioner shall:
(1)  take possession and assume control of the property described by Subsection (a) of an open-enrollment charter school that ceases to operate; and
(2)  supervise the disposition of the property in accordance with this subchapter.
(c-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (c), if an open-enrollment charter school ceases to operate, the agency:
(1)  for property purchased with state funds, shall direct the charter holder to dispose of the property through one of the following methods:
(A)  retain or liquidate the property and provide reimbursement to the state as provided by Section 12.1281;
(B)  transfer the property to:
(i)  the agency under Section 12.1281(h); or
(ii)  a school district or open-enrollment charter school under Section 12.1282;
(C)  close the operations of the open-enrollment charter school under Section 12.1284; or
(D)  take any combination of the actions described by Paragraphs (A), (B), and (C); and
(2)  for property leased with state funds, may direct the charter holder to assign the charter holder's interest in the lease to the agency.
(c-2)  The agency may approve an expenditure of remaining funds by a former charter holder for insurance or utilities for or maintenance, repairs, or improvements to property described by this section if the agency determines that the expenditure is reasonably necessary to dispose of the property or preserve the property's value.
(d)  The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to administer this section.
(e)  This section does not affect a security interest in or lien on property established by a creditor in compliance with law if the security interest or lien arose in connection with the sale or lease of the property to the charter holder.
(f)  A decision by the agency under this section is final and may not be appealed.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1504, Sec. 18, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by: 
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1140 (S.B. 2), Sec. 37, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 631 (S.B. 1454), Sec. 7, eff. June 10, 2019.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 916 (H.B. 3610), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 916 (H.B. 3610), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2021.