By: Cook of Navarro, Strama H.B. No. 2455

(Senate Sponsor - Seliger)

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2007; May 7, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 10, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 10, 2007, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the absence of a student from public school for a required court appearance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:

(b) A school district shall excuse a student from attending school for:

(1) the following purposes, including travel for those purposes:

(A) [purpose of] observing religious holy days; or

(B) attending a required court appearance; or

(2) a [, including traveling for that purpose. A school district shall excuse a student for] temporary absence resulting from health care professionals if that student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of the appointment.

(c) A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b) [this subsection] may not be penalized for that absence and shall be counted as if the student attended school for purposes of calculating the average daily attendance of students in the school district. A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b) [this subsection] shall be allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed on those days. If the student satisfactorily completes the school work, the day of absence shall be counted as a day of compulsory attendance.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 school year.

SECTION 3. 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, 2007.

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