BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

H.B. 181

By: Bell

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Recent legislation mandated that a high school student's diploma and transcript include endorsements and performance acknowledgements earned by the student. School districts have expressed concern regarding the printing cost of individualized diplomas and the higher likelihood of printing errors on such diplomas. H.B. 181 seeks to reduce those costs and errors.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

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

 

H.B. 181 amends the Education Code to restrict the documentation of certain endorsements and performance acknowledgments earned by a student to the student's high school transcript, instead of allowing a student to earn an endorsement or performance acknowledgement on both the student's transcript and high school diploma. The bill applies beginning with a high school diploma issued at the end of the 2014–2015 school year.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.