BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1042

By: Blanco

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to interested parties, some public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools do not allow students to take their textbooks home, even at the request of their parents, and instead point to electronic materials available to students outside of the classroom. The parties note that some economically disadvantaged students do not have online access at home or the devices necessary to view electronic materials and are put at a disadvantage as a result. H.B. 1042 seeks to address this issue by requiring public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide requested instructional materials to a student in printed book format if the student does not have reliable access to technology at the student's home.

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. 1042 amends the Education Code to require a public school district or open-enrollment charter school, on a request by a student's parent to allow the student to take home instructional materials used by the student, to provide the materials to the student in printed book format if the student does not have reliable access to technology at the student's home. The bill requires a district or charter school to document each parental request to allow the student to take home any instructional materials that the district or charter school denies, including the reasons for denying the request and, not later than the 30th day after the date the district or charter school receives the request, to report to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that the request has been denied. The bill requires TEA, not later than September 1 of each year, to submit an annual report to the legislature that includes the number of parental requests that were denied and the reasons for denial. The bill applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.