| 1 | | - | H.B. No. 725 |
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| 1 | + | By: Patterson, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 725 |
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| 2 | + | (In the Senate - Received from the House April 6, 2021; |
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| 3 | + | April 8, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on |
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| 4 | + | Education; May 10, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote: |
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| 5 | + | Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 10, 2021, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | + | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 4 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 11 | | relating to the eligibility of certain children who are or were in |
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| 6 | 12 | | foster care for free prekindergarten programs in public schools. |
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| 7 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 14 | | SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as Jace's Law. |
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| 9 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Section 29.153(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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| 10 | 16 | | read as follows: |
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| 11 | 17 | | (b) A child is eligible for enrollment in a prekindergarten |
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| 12 | 18 | | class under this section if the child is at least three years of age |
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| 13 | 19 | | and: |
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| 14 | 20 | | (1) is unable to speak and comprehend the English |
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| 15 | 21 | | language; |
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| 16 | 22 | | (2) is educationally disadvantaged; |
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| 17 | 23 | | (3) is homeless, regardless of the residence of the |
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| 18 | 24 | | child, of either parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or |
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| 19 | 25 | | other person having lawful control of the child; |
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| 20 | 26 | | (4) is the child of an active duty member of the armed |
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| 21 | 27 | | forces of the United States, including the state military forces or |
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| 22 | 28 | | a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active |
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| 23 | 29 | | duty by proper authority; |
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| 24 | 30 | | (5) is the child of a member of the armed forces of the |
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| 25 | 31 | | United States, including the state military forces or a reserve |
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| 26 | 32 | | component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while |
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| 27 | 33 | | serving on active duty; |
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| 28 | 34 | | (6) is or ever has been in: |
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| 29 | 35 | | (A) the conservatorship of the Department of |
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| 30 | 36 | | Family and Protective Services following an adversary hearing held |
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| 31 | 37 | | as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code; or |
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| 32 | 38 | | (B) foster care in another state or territory, if |
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| 33 | 39 | | the child resides in this state; or |
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| 34 | 40 | | (7) is the child of a person eligible for the Star of |
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| 35 | 41 | | Texas Award as: |
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| 36 | 42 | | (A) a peace officer under Section 3106.002, |
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| 37 | 43 | | Government Code; |
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| 38 | 44 | | (B) a firefighter under Section 3106.003, |
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| 39 | 45 | | Government Code; or |
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| 40 | 46 | | (C) an emergency medical first responder under |
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| 41 | 47 | | Section 3106.004, Government Code. |
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| 42 | 48 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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| 43 | 49 | | school year. |
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| 44 | 50 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 45 | 51 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 46 | 52 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 47 | 53 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 48 | 54 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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| 49 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 50 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 51 | | - | I certify that H.B. No. 725 was passed by the House on April |
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| 52 | | - | 1, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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| 53 | | - | voting. |
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| 54 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 56 | | - | I certify that H.B. No. 725 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 57 | | - | 19, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 58 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 59 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 60 | | - | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 61 | | - | Date |
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| 62 | | - | _____________________ |
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| 63 | | - | Governor |
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| 55 | + | * * * * * |
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