BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1008
88R6944 PRL-D	By: Flores
	Education
	3/10/2023
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In 2019, Texas passed H.B. 1597, allowing military family students with orders assigning them to Texas to enroll in school before actual arrival allowing military family students to participate in high demand programs and classes. The legislation currently states "shall provide to the school district proof of residence in the district's attendance zone not later than the 10th day after the arrival date specified in the order."

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The extremely competetive housing market has changed housing availability in communities across Texas, which creates significant challenges for incoming military families. Historically, 70-75% of military families live off the military installation in local communities. Many military families are experiencing long lead times to find housing frequently taking up to 90 days to find housing. This creates a challenge for military family students to remain in the same school. This bill modifies the current Texas code to change "10 days" to "90 days" to provide school districts proof of residence. This accounts for the long lead time to find housing and allows military family students to remain stable in school.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1008 amends current law relating to establishing residency for purposes of admission into public schools.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.001(c-2), Education Code, as follows:

 

(c-2) Requires a person who establishes residency as provided by Subsection (c-1) (relating to authorizing a person whose parent or guardian is an active-duty member of the armed forces of the United States to establish residency for the purposes of school admission by providing to the school district a copy of a military order requiring a parent's or guardian's transfer to a military installation in or adjacent to the district's attendance zone) to provide to the school district proof of residence in the district's attendance zone not later than the 90th, rather than 10th, day after the arrival date specified in the order described by that subsection.

 

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2023�2024 school year.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2023.