| 1 | 1 | | 85R12952 KKA-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Klick H.B. No. 2456 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to authorizing school districts to suspend classes on |
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| 8 | 8 | | primary and general election days and requiring the commissioner of |
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| 9 | 9 | | education to adjust funding for certain related absences. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 25.0813 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 25.0813. SUSPENSION OF CLASSES ON PRIMARY AND GENERAL |
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| 14 | 14 | | ELECTION DAY. (a) This section applies to elections held on the |
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| 15 | 15 | | primary election date described by Section 41.007, Election Code, |
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| 16 | 16 | | or the date for the general election for state and county officers |
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| 17 | 17 | | under Section 41.002, Election Code. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) A school district may suspend classes on the day of a |
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| 19 | 19 | | primary or general election. A district that intends to suspend |
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| 20 | 20 | | classes as provided by this section must notify the commissioner |
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| 21 | 21 | | not later than the first day of instruction for the school year in |
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| 22 | 22 | | which the election will be held. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (c) The authorization granted by this section does not |
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| 24 | 24 | | exempt a school district from the requirement under Section |
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| 25 | 25 | | 25.081(a) for a minimum amount of instruction. A district may |
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| 26 | 26 | | extend its school calendar to compensate for days on which classes |
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| 27 | 27 | | are suspended as provided by this section. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. Section 42.005, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 29 | 29 | | adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (c-1) The commissioner shall adjust the average daily |
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| 31 | 31 | | attendance of a school district that suspends classes on the day of |
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| 32 | 32 | | the primary or general election as provided by Section 25.0813 and |
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| 33 | 33 | | that, on the day preceding election day, has more than the |
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| 34 | 34 | | district's average number of daily absences, so that the district |
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| 35 | 35 | | is not penalized under this section for that increase in the number |
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| 36 | 36 | | of absences. |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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| 38 | 38 | | school year. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 40 | 40 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 41 | 41 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 42 | 42 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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