By Flores H.B. No. 277
76R2107 CAS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to a duty-free lunch for public school employees.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 21.405, Education Code, is transferred to
1-5 Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Education Code, is redesignated as
1-6 Section 22.006, Education Code, and is amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 22.006 [21.405]. DUTY-FREE LUNCH. (a) Except as
1-8 provided by Subsection (c), each school district employee who works
1-9 in a school in the district [classroom teacher or full-time
1-10 librarian] is entitled to at least a 30-minute lunch period free
1-11 from all school duties [and responsibilities connected with the
1-12 instruction and supervision of students]. Each school district may
1-13 set flexible or rotating schedules for each employee [classroom
1-14 teacher or full-time librarian] in [the] district schools for the
1-15 implementation of the duty-free lunch period.
1-16 (b) The implementation of this section may not result in a
1-17 lengthened school day.
1-18 (c) If necessary because of a personnel shortage, extreme
1-19 economic conditions, or an unavoidable or unforeseen circumstance,
1-20 a school district may require an employee [a classroom teacher or
1-21 librarian] entitled to a duty-free lunch to perform school duties
1-22 [supervise students] during lunch. An employee [A classroom
1-23 teacher or librarian] may not be required to perform school duties
1-24 [supervise students] under this subsection more than one day in any
2-1 school week. The commissioner by rule shall prescribe guidelines
2-2 for determining what constitutes a personnel shortage, extreme
2-3 economic conditions, or an unavoidable or unforeseen circumstance
2-4 for purposes of this subsection.
2-5 SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000
2-6 school year.
2-7 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-12 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-13 passage, and it is so enacted.