BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 65

By: Johnson, Eric

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that there is insufficient data regarding out-of-school suspensions in Texas and that this gap in data prevents informed policymaking. H.B. 65 seeks to close this gap by requiring the inclusion of certain information on out-of-school suspensions in a school district's annual report on expulsions and disciplinary alternative education program placements. 

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. 65 amends the Education Code to require a public school district to annually report the following information to the commissioner of education for each out-of-school suspension of a student: information identifying the student, including the student's race, sex, and date of birth, that will enable the Texas Education Agency to compare placement data with information collected through other reports; information indicating the basis for the suspension; the number of full or partial days the student was suspended; and the number of out-of-school suspensions that were inconsistent with the guidelines included in the student code of conduct. The bill applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.