By: Murr (Senate Sponsor - Powell) H.B. No. 3864
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2021;
May 14, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on
Education; May 24, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 24, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to excused absences from public school for certain
students to visit a professional's workplace for a career
investigation day.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (b-8) and amending Subsection (d) to read as
follows:
(b-8) A school district may excuse a student from attending
school for a career investigation day to visit a professional at the
professional's workplace during the student's junior and senior
years of high school for the purpose of determining the student's
interest in pursuing a career in the professional's field, provided
that:
(1) the district may not excuse for this purpose more
than two days during the student's junior year and two days during
the student's senior year; and
(2) the district adopts:
(A) a policy to determine when an absence may be
excused for this purpose; and
(B) a procedure to verify that the student's
visit at the professional's workplace did occur.
(d) A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b),
(b-1), (b-2), (b-4), (b-5), (b-8), or (c) may not be penalized for
that absence and shall be counted as if the student attended school
for purposes of calculating the average daily attendance of
students in the school district. A student whose absence is excused
under Subsection (b), (b-1), (b-2), (b-4), (b-5), (b-8), or (c)
shall be allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed on
those days. If the student satisfactorily completes the school
work, the day of absence shall be counted as a day of compulsory
attendance.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022
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, 2021.
* * * * *