HBA-MPM H.B. 1088 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1088 By: Grusendorf Public Education 3/26/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE A common problem in public schools is a false alarm in the form of a fire alarm, bomb threat, and other false reports that interrupt school operations and cause considerable anxiety among parents, students, and school personnel. For example, in May 1999 the Corpus Christi Independent School District reported nearly two dozen false threats of bombs or violence at area schools, resulting in the evacuation of one middle school. House Bill 1088 requires a student who submits a false report to be placed in an alternative education program, and provides that a student may be expelled for this conduct. 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 1088 amends the Education Code to require a student to be removed from class and placed in an alternative education program if the student engages in conduct involving a public school that contains the elements of the offense of a false alarm, terroristic threat, or false report of a bombing, fire, offense, or other emergency. The bill also authorizes a student to be expelled for engaging in this conduct. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002 school year.