BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2892

By: Buckley

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Military servicemembers and their families must often move to new stations while serving our country and state. Students in these families must adapt to new school cultures and curricula. In order to recognize Texas school districts and charter schools that show their support and commitment to meeting the unique needs of military-connected students and their families, the 86th Texas Legislature passed S.B. 1557, creating the Purple Star Campus designation. C.S.H.B. 2892 seeks to allow a parent or legal guardian to transfer a student to the school district and campus of their choice, such as to these designated campuses.

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

C.S.H.B. 2892 amends the Education Code to require the board of trustees of a public school district or the board's designee, on request of a servicemember who is a parent of or person standing in parental relation to a student, to transfer the student to another district campus or to another eligible district. The transfer must be to the campus or district selected by the servicemember. A district is not required to provide transportation to a student who transfers to another campus or district. The bill defines "servicemember" as an active duty member of the U.S. armed forces, a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces, or the Texas National Guard.

C.S.H.B. 2892 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.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2892 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute changes the introduced version's definition of "servicemember" by including a specification that the servicemember is an active duty servicemember, which was not included in the introduced.