1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to excused absences from public school attendance for the
 1-3     purpose of observing religious holy days.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 25.087(b), Education Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           (b)  A school district shall excuse a student from attending
 1-8     school for the purpose of observing religious holy days, including
 1-9     traveling for that purpose[, if before the absence the parent,
1-10     guardian, or person having custody or control of the student
1-11     submits a written request for the excused absence].  A school
1-12     district shall excuse a student for temporary absence resulting
1-13     from health care professionals if that student commences classes or
1-14     returns to school on the same day of the appointment.  A student
1-15     whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized
1-16     for that absence and shall be counted as if the student attended
1-17     school for purposes of calculating the average daily attendance of
1-18     students in the school district.  A student whose absence is
1-19     excused under this subsection shall be allowed a reasonable time to
1-20     make up school work missed on those days.  If the student
1-21     satisfactorily completes the school work, the day of absence shall
1-22     be counted as a day of compulsory attendance.
1-23           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000
1-24     school year.
 2-1           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-2     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-6     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-7     passage, and it is so enacted.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 217 was passed by the House on April
         16, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 0, 2 present, not
         voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 217 was passed by the Senate on May
         25, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor