By:  Zaffirini                                                            S.B. No. 30


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to mandatory kindergarten attendance in public schools.              
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Sections 25.085 (b) and (c), Education Code, are 
amended to read as follows:
	(b)  Unless specifically exempted by Section 25.086, a child 
who is at least five [six] years of age on the first day of August 
[September] of the school year, or who is younger than five [six] 
years of age and has previously been enrolled in prekindergarten or 
kindergarten [first grade], and who has not yet reached the child's 
18th birthday shall attend school.
	(c)  On enrollment in prekindergarten [or kindergarten], a 
child shall attend school.
	SECTION 2.  Section 29.009, Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:   
	Sec. 29.009.  PUBLIC NOTICE CONCERNING PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS 
FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.  Each school district shall develop 
a system to notify the population in the district with children who 
are at least three years of age but younger than five [six] years of 
age and who are eligible for enrollment in a special education 
program of the availability of the program.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately and applies 
beginning with the 2003-2004 school year.