By Siebert H.B. No. 1940
76R1415 CAS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the first instructional day of a school year for public
1-3 school students.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 25.0811 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 25.0811. FIRST INSTRUCTIONAL DAY. A school district
1-8 may not begin instruction for students for a school year before
1-9 September 1.
1-10 SECTION 2. Section 25.084(a), Education Code, is amended to
1-11 read as follows:
1-12 (a) A school district may operate its schools year-round on
1-13 either a single-track or a multitrack calendar. If a school
1-14 district adopts a year-round system, the district may modify:
1-15 (1) the number of contract days of employees and the
1-16 number of days of operation, including any time required for staff
1-17 development, planning and preparation, and continuing education,
1-18 otherwise required by law;
1-19 (2) testing dates, data reporting, and related
1-20 matters; [and]
1-21 (3) the first day of instruction for students for a
1-22 school year as necessary, notwithstanding Section 25.0811; and
1-23 (4) a student's eligibility to participate in
1-24 extracurricular activities when the student's calendar track is not
2-1 in session.
2-2 SECTION 3. Section 25.0811, Education Code, as added by this
2-3 Act, and Section 25.084(a), Education Code, as amended by this Act,
2-4 apply beginning with the 1999-2000 school year.
2-5 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-6 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-7 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-8 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-9 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-10 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-11 passage, and it is so enacted.