By Nelson                                              S.B. No. 208
       74R1829 KKA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to instructional time in public schools.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 21.004, Education Code, is amended to
    1-5  read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 21.004.  SCHOOL DAY.  (a)  A school day shall be taught
    1-7  for not less than seven hours each day, including intermissions and
    1-8  recesses.
    1-9        (b)  An elementary school student shall receive at least five
   1-10  hours of instruction each day in subjects required or authorized by
   1-11  Section 21.101.
   1-12        (c)  A middle or high school student shall receive at least
   1-13  5-1/2 hours of instruction each day in subject areas required or
   1-14  authorized by Section 21.101, excluding physical education.
   1-15        SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1995-1996
   1-16  school year.
   1-17        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-22  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-23  passage, and it is so enacted.