BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 131

By: Murr

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

School districts have the authority under state law to adopt a policy excusing a student from attending school to visit an accredited institution of higher education during the student's junior or senior year of high school for the purpose of determining the student's interest in attending the institution. However, these policies do not provide similar opportunities for students who are interested in careers that do not involve attending an institution of higher education. H.B. 131 seeks to provide access to a broader range of career opportunities for students to explore by authorizing a district to adopt a similar attendance policy for students visiting a professional's workplace for the purpose of determining the student's interest in pursuing a career in the professional's field.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 131 amends the Education Code to authorize a public school district to excuse a student in their junior or senior year of high school from attending school for a career investigation day to visit a professional at the professional's workplace for the purpose of determining the student's interest in pursuing a career in the professional's field, provided that the district adopts a policy to determine when an absence may be excused for this purpose and a procedure to verify the student's visit at the professional's workplace. The bill caps the number of days a student may have excused per school year for such a purpose at two. These provisions apply beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.