BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1955

By: Buckley

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In 2019, Texas passed a law allowing students in military families assigned to Texas to enroll in school before their arrival in order to allow these students to participate in high-demand programs and classes. However, as a result of the extremely competitive housing market, housing availability has changed in communities across Texas and created significant challenges for incoming military families. Many military families are experiencing long lead times to find housing, often taking up to 90 days, which creates a challenge for students in these families to remain enrolled in the same school. In order to address this issue, the Governor's Committee to Support the Military has recommended extending the deadline for students in military families to establish residency for purposes of admission into public schools. H.B. 1955 seeks to enact this recommendation and extend that deadline.

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. 1955 amends the Education Code to extend the deadline by which a person whose parent or guardian is an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces and transferred to a military installation in or adjacent to a public school district's attendance zone must provide proof of residence for purposes of public school admission to the district from the 10th day after the arrival date specified in the military transfer order to the 90th day after that arrival date.

H.B. 1955 applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.