BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 223

By: Howard

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that parenthood is a leading reason that teen girls drop out of school. The parties express concern that compensatory education allotment funds available for supporting certain students who are at risk of dropping out of school, including students who are pregnant or are parents, are not used to cover the costs of child‐care services and related child‐care expenses. H.B. 223 seeks to provide for this use of allotment funds.

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. 223 amends the Education Code to authorize funds allocated for the compensatory education allotment to be used to provide child-care services or assistance with child-care expenses for a student at risk of dropping out of school because the student is under 26 years of age and is pregnant or is a parent or to pay the costs associated with services provided through a life skills program for student parents, other than career counseling and job readiness training.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.