| |
|
| |
|
|
By: Huberty, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Huffman) |
H.B. No. 357 |
|
|
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 24, 2017; |
|
|
May 19, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on State |
|
|
Affairs; May 19, 2017, rereferred to Committee on Intergovernmental |
|
|
Relations; May 22, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote: |
|
|
Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 22, 2017, sent to printer.) |
| Click here to see the committee vote |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to the eligibility of the children of certain first |
|
|
responders for free prekindergarten programs in public schools. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 29.153(b), Education Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(b) A child is eligible for enrollment in a prekindergarten |
|
|
class under this section if the child is at least three years of age |
|
|
and: |
|
|
(1) is unable to speak and comprehend the English |
|
|
language; |
|
|
(2) is educationally disadvantaged; |
|
|
(3) is a homeless child, as defined by 42 U.S.C. |
|
|
Section 11434a, regardless of the residence of the child, of either |
|
|
parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or other person |
|
|
having lawful control of the child; |
|
|
(4) is the child of an active duty member of the armed |
|
|
forces of the United States, including the state military forces or |
|
|
a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active |
|
|
duty by proper authority; |
|
|
(5) is the child of a member of the armed forces of the |
|
|
United States, including the state military forces or a reserve |
|
|
component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while |
|
|
serving on active duty; [or] |
|
|
(6) is or ever has been in the conservatorship of the |
|
|
Department of Family and Protective Services following an adversary |
|
|
hearing held as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code; or |
|
|
(7) is the child of a person eligible for the Star of |
|
|
Texas Award as: |
|
|
(A) a peace officer under Section 3106.002, |
|
|
Government Code; |
|
|
(B) a firefighter under Section 3106.003, |
|
|
Government Code; or |
|
|
(C) an emergency medical first responder under |
|
|
Section 3106.004, Government Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 3. 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, 2017. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |