81R1186 CAE-D
By: Strama H.B. No. 359
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the absence of a student from public school to visit
with a parent who has been or will be deployed to a combat zone.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-1) and (e) to
read as follows:
(b) A school district shall excuse a student from attending
school for:
(1) the following purposes, including travel for those
purposes:
(A) observing religious holy days; [or]
(B) attending a required court appearance; or
(C) spending time with the student's parent, if
the parent has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or is
returning from deployment to a combat zone as a member of the armed
forces of the United States, a reserve component of the armed forces
of the United States, or the state military forces; or
(2) a temporary absence resulting from health care
professionals if that student commences classes or returns to
school on the same day of the appointment.
(b-1) The board of trustees of each independent school
district shall establish criteria for determining the number of
days a student may receive an excused absence for the purpose
described by Subsection (b)(1)(C).
(e) In this section, "combat zone" means an area that the
president of the United States by executive order designates for
purposes of 26 U.S.C. Section 112 as an area in which armed forces
of the United States are or have engaged in combat.
SECTION 2. 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, 2009.