Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4105 Compare Versions

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11 87R8094 MWC-F
22 By: Talarico H.B. No. 4105
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55 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
66 AN ACT
77 relating to the eligibility of the children of certain essential
88 employees for free prekindergarten programs in public schools.
99 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1010 SECTION 1. Sections 29.153(b) and (f), Education Code, are
1111 amended to read as follows:
1212 (b) A child is eligible for enrollment in a prekindergarten
1313 class under this section if the child is at least three years of age
1414 and:
1515 (1) is unable to speak and comprehend the English
1616 language;
1717 (2) is educationally disadvantaged;
1818 (3) is homeless, regardless of the residence of the
1919 child, of either parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or
2020 other person having lawful control of the child;
2121 (4) is the child of an active duty member of the armed
2222 forces of the United States, including the state military forces or
2323 a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active
2424 duty by proper authority;
2525 (5) is the child of a member of the armed forces of the
2626 United States, including the state military forces or a reserve
2727 component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while
2828 serving on active duty;
2929 (6) is or ever has been in the conservatorship of the
3030 Department of Family and Protective Services following an adversary
3131 hearing held as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code; [or]
3232 (7) is the child of a person eligible for the Star of
3333 Texas Award as:
3434 (A) a peace officer under Section 3106.002,
3535 Government Code;
3636 (B) a firefighter under Section 3106.003,
3737 Government Code; or
3838 (C) an emergency medical first responder under
3939 Section 3106.004, Government Code; or
4040 (8) is the child of a person who is employed by a state
4141 or local governmental entity or a private business entity in a
4242 position determined by the agency to be essential to the response to
4343 or recovery from an event declared to be a disaster by the president
4444 of the United States under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
4545 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Section 5121 et seq.) or the
4646 governor under Chapter 418, Government Code.
4747 (f) A child who is eligible for enrollment in a
4848 prekindergarten class under Subsection (b)(4), [or] (5), or (8)
4949 remains eligible for enrollment after the child begins a
5050 prekindergarten class if, as applicable:
5151 (1) the child's parent:
5252 (A) leaves the armed forces; or
5353 (B) [, or] is no longer on active duty; or
5454 (2) the declaration of disaster under Subsection
5555 (b)(8) expires or the state or local governmental entity or private
5656 business entity in which the child's parent is employed is
5757 determined to no longer be essential to the response to or recovery
5858 from the disaster [, after the child begins a prekindergarten
5959 class].
6060 SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022
6161 school year.
6262 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
6363 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
6464 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
6565 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
6666 Act takes effect September 1, 2021.