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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to excused absences from public school caused by |
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circumstances arising out of a statewide or local disaster. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, as amended by |
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S.B. No. 289, Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, |
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is amended by adding Subsection (b-8) and amending Subsection (d) |
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to read as follows: |
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(b-8) If a state of disaster or local disaster is declared |
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under Chapter 418, Government Code, for an area in which a school |
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district is wholly or partly located, the district shall excuse a |
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student whose parent, legal guardian, or person standing in |
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parental relation to the student notifies the district that the |
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student's absence is caused by circumstances arising out of that |
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disaster. |
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(d) A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b), |
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(b-1), (b-2), (b-4), (b-5), (b-7), (b-8), or (c) may not be |
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penalized for that absence and shall be counted as if the student |
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attended school for purposes of calculating the average daily |
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attendance of students in the school district. A student whose |
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absence is excused under Subsection (b), (b-1), (b-2), (b-4), |
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(b-5), (b-7), (b-8), or (c) shall be allowed a reasonable time to |
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make up school work missed on those days. If the student |
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satisfactorily completes the school work, the day of absence shall |
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be counted as a day of compulsory attendance. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |