✅Relating to contracting with a school district or open-enrollment charter school by a vendor with whom a member of the board of trustees or governing body of the district or school or a related individual has certain business interests; creating a criminal offense.

HB 210

✅ HB 210: Criminal Penalties for School Contract Corruption

What it says it does:
HB 210 makes it a criminal offense for vendors to contract with a school district or charter school if a board member or their close relative has a significant financial interest in the vendor, or if the vendor has given that board member gifts or compensation.

What it actually changes:
It closes loopholes around conflicts of interest in public education procurement. Vendors can now face misdemeanor or felony charges if they offer gifts over $250 or contract while tied to a board member financially. It also includes indirect payments and subcontractor relationships.

Who is pushing for it:
Texas AFT, ATPE, Texas State Teachers Association, and Democrats for Education Reform (DFER Texas) all supported the bill in witness lists. No industry or private vendor groups are listed in support.

Who benefits:
Taxpayers, honest vendors, and public school communities gain stronger protection against corruption. Education employees and advocacy groups benefit from cleaner procurement processes and a fairer playing field.

Who gets left out or exposed:
Vendors that relied on personal relationships or financial ties to win school contracts are now disqualified. Board members who previously skirted ethics rules through gifts or indirect deals lose that protection.

Why this matters long term:
HB 210 creates real consequences for contract corruption in school governance. As charter schools grow and manage more public funds, this law helps prevent insider enrichment and backroom deals in education budgets.

What to watch next:
Enforcement depends on prosecutors, not a state agency. The bill has no audit trigger or public database for conflict reporting. Without community vigilance, violations may go undetected.

Bottom line:
HB 210 puts up guardrails where they were missing. It doesn’t fix all procurement issues, but it gives Texans a sharper tool to challenge corruption in school governance, before it drains public dollars.

#HB210 #TexasPolicy #Ethics #CharterSchools #EducationFunding #KnowBeforeYouVote