By: Hughes, West S.B. No. 1144

(In the Senate - Filed February 23, 2023; March 9, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 24, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 12, Nays 0; April 24, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1144 By: Springer

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to enrolling a public school student in a virtual education program as an alternative to expulsion.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 37, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 37.0071 to read as follows:

Sec. 37.0071. VIRTUAL EDUCATION AS ALTERNATIVE TO EXPULSION. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), before a school district or open-enrollment charter school may expel a student, the district or school shall consider as an alternative to expulsion the appropriateness and feasibility of enrolling the student in a full-time virtual education program through the state virtual school network under Chapter 30A or another virtual education program authorized by this code.

(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a student expelled under Section 37.0081 or 37.007(a), (d), or (e).

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

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