HBA-JEK H.B. 692 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 692
By: Hochberg
Public Education
3/5/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

A number of schools in Texas, including special education schools, use a
practice referred to as "seclusion" or "seclusionary time out" to isolate
children exhibiting inappropriate behavior.  This technique isolates a
child in a space away from the rest of his or her class.  In the absence of
state guidelines, however, seclusionary practices have been used
inappropriately in some schools, and  incidents of children locked in
unlit, unventilated rooms have surfaced.  Inappropriate use of seclusion
can have detrimental effects on children, especially special education
students.  House Bill 692 amends the Education Code to prohibit school
district and open-enrollment charter schools from secluding students in a
room or other confined area by themselves.    

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 692 amends the Education Code to prohibit school districts and
open-enrollment charter schools from placing a student for any period of
time in a room or other confined area where the student is alone and is
prohibited from leaving. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.