By: Van de Putte  S.B. No. 1075
         (In the Senate - Filed February 23, 2009; March 13, 2009,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and
  Military Installations; March 30, 2009, reported adversely, with
  favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays
  0; March 30, 2009, sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1075 By:  Shapleigh
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the absence of a student from public school to visit
  with a parent or guardian who has been or will be deployed to a
  combat zone.
         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 Subsections (b-1) and (e) 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)  observing religious holy days; [or]
                     (B)  attending a required court appearance; or
                     (C)  spending time with the student's parent or
  guardian, if the parent or guardian has been called to duty for, is
  on leave from, or is returning from deployment to a combat zone as a
  member of the armed forces of the United States, a reserve component
  of the armed forces of the United States, or the state military
  forces; or
               (2)  a temporary absence resulting from health care
  professionals if that student commences classes or returns to
  school on the same day of the appointment.
         (b-1)  The board of trustees of each independent school
  district shall establish criteria for determining the number of
  days a student may receive an excused absence for the purpose
  described by Subsection (b)(1)(C).
         (e)  In this section, "combat zone" means an area that the
  president of the United States by executive order designates for
  purposes of 26 U.S.C. Section 112 as an area in which armed forces
  of the United States are or have engaged in combat.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2009.
 
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