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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to excused absences in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) A school district shall excuse a student from attending |
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school for the purpose of: |
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(1) observing religious holy days, including |
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traveling for that purpose; |
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(2) attending an appointment with a [. A school
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district shall excuse a student for temporary absence resulting
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from] health care professional [professionals] if the [that] |
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student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of |
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the appointment; or |
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(3) visiting the State Capitol or a state or national |
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park with the student's family, provided that: |
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(A) a district is not required to excuse more |
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than two days for this purpose during each school year; and |
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(B) the student must submit a brief essay that |
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describes the student's experiences while visiting the State |
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Capitol or park and summarizes the historical, scientific, or other |
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academic subject area information learned by the student during the |
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visit. |
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(c) A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b) |
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[this subsection] may not be penalized for that absence and shall be |
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counted as if the student attended school for purposes of |
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calculating the average daily attendance of students in the school |
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district. A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b) |
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[this subsection] shall be allowed a reasonable time to make up |
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school work missed on those days. If the student satisfactorily |
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completes the school work, the day of absence shall be counted as a |
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day of compulsory attendance. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |