Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB726 by Bohac (Relating to the mandatory removal of public school students from classrooms following certain conduct.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill amends the Education Code to expand the list of behaviors for which a student must be sent to a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP). The expansion of behaviors includes conduct that contains the elements of the offense of assault under Texas Penal Code, Section 22.01 (a) against an employee of the school district. The bill would take effect immediately if passed within the necessary voting margins, or September 1, 2017.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) estimates the provisions of this bill can be implemented at nominal cost and absorbed with existing resources.
Local Government Impact
TEA anticipates school districts would have nominal costs to modify their student information management systems to capture and report the new student actions and removals for incidents of assaultive offenses against school employees. TEA also indicates that school districts with students removed may have slightly higher costs due to the additional costs to educate students in a DAEP.