Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB699 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 699
	1	+	By: Rosenthal (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 699
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 8, 2021;
	3	+	April 12, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on
	4	+	Education; May 11, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable
	5	+	Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0;
	6	+	May 11, 2021, sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 699 By: Taylor
2	9
3	10
	11	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	12		AN ACT
5	13		relating to public school attendance requirements for students
6	14		diagnosed with or undergoing related treatment for severe or
7	15		life-threatening illnesses.
8	16		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	17		SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as Riley's Rule.
10	18		SECTION 2. Section 25.087(b), Education Code, is amended to
11	19		read as follows:
12	20		(b) A school district shall excuse a student from attending
13	21		school for:
14	22		(1) the following purposes, including travel for those
15	23		purposes:
16	24		(A) observing religious holy days;
17	25		(B) attending a required court appearance;
18	26		(C) appearing at a governmental office to
19	27		complete paperwork required in connection with the student's
20	28		application for United States citizenship;
21	29		(D) taking part in a United States naturalization
22	30		oath ceremony;
23	31		(E) serving as an election clerk; or
24	32		(F) if the student is in the conservatorship of
25	33		the Department of Family and Protective Services, participating, as
26	34		determined and documented by the department, in an activity:
27	35		(i) ordered by a court under Chapter 262 or
28	36		263, Family Code, provided that it is not practicable to schedule
29	37		the participation outside of school hours; or
30	38		(ii) required under a service plan under
31	39		Subchapter B, Chapter 263, Family Code; [or]
32	40		(2) a temporary absence resulting from an appointment
33	41		with health care professionals for the student or the student's
34	42		child if the student commences classes or returns to school on the
35	43		same day of the appointment; or
36	44		(3) an absence resulting from a serious or
37	45		life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes the
38	46		student's attendance infeasible, if the student or the student's
39	47		parent or guardian provides a certification from a physician
40	48		licensed to practice medicine in this state specifying the
41	49		student's illness and the anticipated period of the student's
42	50		absence relating to the illness or related treatment.
43	51		SECTION 3. Section 25.0915(a-3), Education Code, is amended
44	52		to read as follows:
45	53		(a-3) A school district shall offer additional counseling
46	54		to a student and may not refer the student to truancy court under
47	55		this section, Section 25.0951, or any other provision if the school
48	56		determines that the student's truancy is the result of:
49	57		(1) pregnancy;
50	58		(2) being in the state foster program;
51	59		(3) homelessness; [or]
52	60		(4) severe or life-threatening illness or related
53	61		treatment; or
54	62		(5) being the principal income earner for the
55	63		student's family.
56	64		SECTION 4. Section 25.092, Education Code, is amended by
57	65		adding Subsection (a-3) to read as follows:
58	66		(a-3) A student's excused absence under Section
59	67		25.087(b)(3) may not be considered in determining whether the
60	68		student has satisfied the attendance requirement under Subsection
61	69		(a) or (a-1).
62	70		SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022
63	71		school year.
64	72		SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
65	73		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
66	74		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
67	75		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
68	76		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
69		-	______________________________ ______________________________
70		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
71		-	I certify that H.B. No. 699 was passed by the House on April
72		-	7, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, 1 present, not
73		-	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
74		-	No. 699 on May 20, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1
75		-	present, not voting.
76		-	______________________________
77		-	Chief Clerk of the House
78		-	I certify that H.B. No. 699 was passed by the Senate, with
79		-	amendments, on May 17, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
80		-	0.
81		-	______________________________
82		-	Secretary of the Senate
83		-	APPROVED: __________________
84		-	Date
85		-	__________________
86		-	Governor
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