SRC-JRN S.B. 717 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 717
By: Duncan
Education
3-30-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently,  there is no clear statutory authority allowing school campuses
to remain open after school hours for  recreational purposes and tutoring.
Concerns regarding a school's potential liability may be one cause for
some schools not remaining open after regular hours.  This bill authorizes
the board of trustees of an independent school district to adopt rules to
keep school campuses open for student recreational activities and tutoring
of students after school hours.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 717 authorizes the board of trustees of an independent
school district to adopt rules to keep school campuses open for student
recreational activities and tutoring of students after school hours.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the board of trustees of an independent
school district in SECTION 1 (Section 11.164, Education Code) of this
bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 11D, Education Code, by adding Section 11.164,
as follows: 

Sec. 11.164. ACCESS TO SCHOOL CAMPUSES.  Authorizes the board of trustees
of an independent school district to adopt rules to keep school campuses,
including school libraries, open for student recreational activities and
tutoring of students after school. Provides that a professional employee
or volunteer serving in a program for which a school campus is kept open
under this section is immune from liability to the same extent as a school
district's professional employees or volunteers, as applicable. 

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998
school year. 

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.