By Bernsen                                             S.B. No. 213
         77R1501 CAS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the compulsory school attendance age and to the age of
 1-3     children for whom public school kindergarten must be provided.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Sections 25.085(b) and (c), Education Code, are
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (b)  Unless specifically exempted by Section 25.086, a child
 1-8     who is at least five [six] years of age on August 1, or who is
 1-9     younger than five [six] years of age on August 1 and has previously
1-10     been enrolled in prekindergarten [first grade], and who has not yet
1-11     reached the child's 18th 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 29.151, Education Code, is amended to read
1-15     as follows:
1-16           Sec. 29.151.  FREE KINDERGARTEN. The board of trustees of
1-17     each school district shall establish and maintain one or more
1-18     kindergartens for the training of children residing in the district
1-19     who are at least five years of age on August [September] 1 [of the
1-20     school year].
1-21           SECTION 3. (a)  This Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
1-22     school year.
1-23           (b)  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote
1-24     of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided
 2-1     by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does
 2-2     not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes
 2-3     effect on the 91st day after the last day of the legislative
 2-4     session.