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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the absence of a student from public school to visit |
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with a parent who has been or will be deployed to a combat zone. |
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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 Subsections (b-1) and (e) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) A school district shall excuse a student from attending |
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school for: |
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(1) the following purposes, including travel for those |
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purposes: |
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(A) observing religious holy days; [or] |
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(B) attending a required court appearance; or |
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(C) spending time with the student's parent, if |
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the parent has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or is |
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returning from deployment to a combat zone as a member of the armed |
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forces of the United States, a reserve component of the armed forces |
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of the United States, or the state military forces; or |
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(2) a temporary absence resulting from health care |
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professionals if that student commences classes or returns to |
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school on the same day of the appointment. |
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(b-1) The board of trustees of each independent school |
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district shall establish criteria for determining the number of |
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days a student may receive an excused absence for the purpose |
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described by Subsection (b)(1)(C). |
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(e) In this section, "combat zone" means an area that the |
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president of the United States by executive order designates for |
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purposes of 26 U.S.C. Section 112 as an area in which armed forces |
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of the United States are or have engaged in combat. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2009. |