| 4 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 7 | | relating to the transfer of certain public school students to a |
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| 6 | 8 | | school district offering in-person instruction. |
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| 7 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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| 9 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 25.045 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 12 | | Sec. 25.045. TRANSFER TO DISTRICT OFFERING IN-PERSON |
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| 11 | 13 | | INSTRUCTION. (a) In this section, "virtual instruction" means |
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| 12 | 14 | | instructional activities delivered to students primarily over the |
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| 13 | 15 | | Internet. |
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| 14 | 16 | | (b) If a school district provides notice to the parent or |
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| 15 | 17 | | person standing in parental relation to a student enrolled in the |
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| 16 | 18 | | district of the district's intent to offer only virtual instruction |
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| 17 | 19 | | for more than one grading period during a school year, the student |
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| 18 | 20 | | may transfer for that school year to another school district that: |
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| 19 | 21 | | (1) offers in-person instruction during that school |
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| 20 | 22 | | year; and |
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| 21 | 23 | | (2) accepts the student's transfer. |
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| 22 | 24 | | (c) A student who transfers to another school district under |
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| 23 | 25 | | this section may not be charged tuition. The student is included in |
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| 24 | 26 | | the average daily attendance of the district in which the student |
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| 25 | 27 | | attends school. |
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| 26 | 28 | | (d) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement |
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| 27 | 29 | | this section. |
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| 28 | 30 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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| 29 | 31 | | school year. |
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| 30 | 32 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 31 | 33 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 32 | 34 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 33 | 35 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 34 | 36 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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| 35 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 36 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 37 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 481 passed the Senate on |
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| 38 | | - | April 9, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 39 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 40 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 41 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 481 passed the House on |
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| 42 | | - | May 23, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 7, one |
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| 43 | | - | present not voting. |
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| 44 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 46 | | - | Approved: |
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| 47 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | | - | Date |
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| 49 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | | - | Governor |
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