BILL ANALYSIS
By: Leibowitz
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, school districts are not required to take into account the location of sex offenders' residences when locating bus stops for school busses. This bill requires school districts to take this information into account when locating bus stops for students. CSHB 444 provides that school districts to the extent practicable will be required to locate bus stops at least 1,000 feet from the residence of someone convicted of a sex crime with a minor or a civilly committed violent predator.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
HB 444 amends the Education Code, to the extent practicable, a school district shall consider the proximity of a bus stop to a residence of an individual to whom the district has received notice under Article 62.032, Code of Criminal Procedure. A school district shall attempt to locate their bus stops at least 1,500 feet from the residence of an individual who is described by subsection (a) as measured in a straight line from nearest property line of the residence to the bus stop.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act applies beginning with the 2005 - 2006 school year.
This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute modifies the original version of the bill by changing the applicability of the bill to sex offenders for whom a school system has received notice under section 62.032 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The substitute also changes language in that a school district shall attempt to locate bus stops 1,500 feet from a residence of an individual as describe by subsection (a).