By Zaffirini                                            S.B. No. 30
         77R71 BDH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to mandatory kindergarten attendance in public schools.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Sections 25.085(b) and (c), Education Code, are
 1-5     amended to read as follows:
 1-6           (b)  Unless specifically exempted by Section 25.086, a child
 1-7     who is at least five [six] years of age on the first day of
 1-8     September of the school year, or who is younger than five [six]
 1-9     years of age and has previously been enrolled in kindergarten
1-10     [first grade], and who has not yet reached the child's 18th
1-11     birthday shall attend school.
1-12           (c)  On enrollment in prekindergarten [or kindergarten], a
1-13     child shall attend school.
1-14           SECTION 2. Section 29.009, Education Code, is amended to read
1-15     as follows:
1-16           Sec. 29.009.  PUBLIC NOTICE CONCERNING PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR
1-17     STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.  Each school district shall develop a
1-18     system to notify the population in the district with children who
1-19     are at least three years of age but younger than five [six] years
1-20     of age and who are eligible for enrollment in a special education
1-21     program of the availability of the program.
1-22           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately and applies
1-23     beginning with the 2001-2002 school year.