BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1447

By: Menéndez

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The 88th Texas Legislature enacted H.B. 18, the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, which required the Texas Education Agency to adopt standards for permissible electronic devices and software applications used by public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. In October 2024, the Senate Committee on State Affairs heard testimony during its interim hearing voicing unintended effects of the SCOPE Act for students with disabilities. The bill sponsor has informed the committee that some districts and charter schools have deemed some digital applications as noncompliant with provisions of the SCOPE Act, including those used as assistive technology for students with disabilities, leaving many of these students unable to access their assistive technology as a part of their reasonable accommodations. S.B. 1447 seeks to address this issue by allowing students with disabilities to access permissible electronic devices and software applications that may otherwise be prohibited by the SCOPE Act as a part of their reasonable accommodation or assistive technology.

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

S.B. 1447 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Education Agency, in adopting standards for permissible electronic devices and software applications used by a public school district or open-enrollment charter school, to provide for exceptions to the standards to allow a student with a disability, in accordance with an individualized education program developed by the student's admission, review, and dismissal committee or a plan developed by a team established for the student under the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to use as a reasonable accommodation or assistive technology electronic devices or software applications that otherwise might not be permissible under the standards. The bill applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.