1-1 By: Eckels (Senate Sponsor - Shelley) H.B. No. 1019
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 1993;
1-3 May 4, 1993, read first time and referred to Committee on
1-4 Education; May 28, 1993, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 10, Nays 1; May 28, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Ratliff x
1-9 Haley x
1-10 Barrientos x
1-11 Bivins x
1-12 Harris of Tarrant x
1-13 Luna x
1-14 Montford x
1-15 Shapiro x
1-16 Sibley x
1-17 Turner x
1-18 Zaffirini x
1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-20 AN ACT
1-21 relating to the age at which persons are required or permitted to
1-22 attend public school.
1-23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-24 SECTION 1. Section 21.032(a), Education Code, is amended to
1-25 read as follows:
1-26 (a) Unless specifically exempted by Section 21.033 of this
1-27 code or under other laws or unless a child <is at least 17 years of
1-28 age and> has graduated from high school or has been issued a high
1-29 school equivalency certificate, every child in the state who is as
1-30 much as six years of age, or who is less than seven years of age
1-31 and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not
1-32 completed the academic year in which his 17th birthday occurred
1-33 shall be required to attend the public schools in the district of
1-34 his residence or in some other district to which he may be
1-35 transferred as provided or authorized by law a minimum of 170 days
1-36 of the regular school term of the district in which the child
1-37 resides or to which he has been transferred.
1-38 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
1-39 amended by adding Sections 21.0321 and 21.0322 to read as follows:
1-40 Sec. 21.0321. OPTION TO ATTEND FIRST GRADE. A child who
1-41 will attain the age of six years after September 1 but before
1-42 January 1 of a regular school year may, upon approval of the board
1-43 of trustees, be enrolled in the first grade for that school year on
1-44 the written request of the child's parent or person standing in
1-45 parental relation to the child to the board of trustees of the
1-46 school district in which the child is enrolled.
1-47 Sec. 21.0322. OPTION TO ATTEND KINDERGARTEN. A child who
1-48 will attain the age of five years after September 1 but before
1-49 January 1 of a regular school year may, upon approval of the board
1-50 of trustees, be enrolled in kindergarten for that school year on
1-51 the written request of the child's parent or person standing in
1-52 parental relation to the child to the board of trustees of the
1-53 school district in which the child is enrolled.
1-54 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-55 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-56 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-57 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-58 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-59 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-60 passage, and it is so enacted.
1-61 * * * * *
1-62 Austin,
1-63 Texas
1-64 May 28, 1993
1-65 Hon. Bob Bullock
1-66 President of the Senate
1-67 Sir:
1-68 We, your Committee on Education to which was referred H.B.
2-1 No. 1019, have had the same under consideration, and I am
2-2 instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation
2-3 that it do pass and be printed.
2-4 Ratliff,
2-5 Chairman
2-6 * * * * *
2-7 WITNESSES
2-8 No witnesses appeared on H.B. No. 1019.