This section lets school boards contract for school bus use, purchase, or lease-option arrangements, but sets safety, bidding, term, and approval rules.
Sec. 34.009. CONTRACTS FOR USE, ACQUISITION, OR LEASE OF SCHOOL BUS. (a) As an alternative to purchasing a school bus, a board of county school trustees or school district board of trustees may contract with any person for use, acquisition, or lease with option to purchase of a school bus if the county or school district board determines the contract to be economically advantageous to the county or district. A contract in the form of an installment purchase or any form other than a lease or lease with option to purchase is subject to Section 34.001. (b) A school bus that is leased or leased with an option to purchase under this section must meet or exceed the safety standards for school buses established under Section 34.002, Education Code. (c) Each contract that reserves to the county or school district board the continuing right to terminate the contract at the expiration of each budget period of the board during the term of the contract is considered to be a commitment of current revenues only. (d) Termination penalties may not be included in any contract under this section. The net effective interest rate on any contract must comply with Chapter 1204, Government Code. (e) The competitive bidding requirements of Subchapter B, Chapter 44, apply to a contract under this section. (f) The commissioner shall adopt a recommended contract form for the use, acquisition, or lease with option to purchase of school buses. A district is not required to use the contract. (g) After a contract providing for payment aggregating $100,000 or more by a school district is authorized by the board of trustees, the board may submit the contract and the record relating to the contract to the attorney general for the attorney general's examination as to the validity of the contract. The approval is not required as a term of the contract. If the contract has been made in accordance with the constitution and laws of the state, the attorney general shall approve the contract, and the comptroller shall register the contract. After the contract has been approved by the attorney general and registered by the comptroller, the validity of the contract is incontestable for any cause. The legal obligations of the lessor, vendor, or supplier of the property to the board are not diminished in any respect by the approval and registration of a contract. (h) The decision of a board of county school trustees or school district board of trustees to use an alternative form of use, acquisition, or purchase of a school bus does not affect a district's eligibility for participation in the transportation funding provisions of the Foundation School Program or any other state funding program. (i) A contract entered into under this section is a legal and authorized investment for banks, savings banks, trust companies, building and loan associations, savings and loan associations, insurance companies, fiduciaries, and trustees and for the sinking funds of school districts. (j) A contract under this section may have any lawful term of not less than two or more than 10 years. (k) A school district may use the provisions of any other law not in conflict with this section to the extent convenient or necessary to carry out any power or authority, express or implied, granted by this section. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1438, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 8.206, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.