By West                                                S.B. No. 704
         77R4345 CAS-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to school district dress codes.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 11.1621 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 11.1621.  SCHOOL DISTRICT DRESS CODES.  (a)  The board
 1-7     of trustees of an independent school district may adopt a student
 1-8     dress code, including reasonable restrictions on student dress to:
 1-9                 (1)  improve the learning environment in the district;
1-10     or
1-11                 (2)  maintain order in the district.
1-12           (b)  This subsection applies only to a student who is
1-13     educationally disadvantaged and whose parent demonstrates to the
1-14     satisfaction of the district that the parent is financially unable
1-15     to purchase clothing that complies with the district dress code.  A
1-16     district may discipline a student for violating the dress code only
1-17     if the district provides a means, such as through the district or
1-18     through a public or private charity, by which the student may
1-19     obtain clothing that complies with the dress code without cost to
1-20     the student's parent.
1-21           (c)  A decision by a board of trustees under this section
1-22     concerning the reasonableness of restrictions on student dress or a
1-23     parent's financial inability to purchase clothing that complies
1-24     with the district dress code is final and may not be appealed under
 2-1     Section 7.057.
 2-2           (d)  In this section, "parent" includes a person standing in
 2-3     parental relation.
 2-4           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-5     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-6     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 2-7     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 2-8     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.