| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 1212 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to verification of excused absences from public school for |
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| 6 | 6 | | the purpose of observing religious holy days. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 9 | 9 | | adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (f) For purposes of excusing a student from attending school |
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| 11 | 11 | | to observe a religious holy day under Subsection (b)(1)(A), a |
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| 12 | 12 | | school district: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) may not require documentation from a clergy member |
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| 14 | 14 | | or other religious leader; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | (2) shall accept a note from the student's parent or |
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| 16 | 16 | | person standing in parental relation verifying the purpose of the |
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| 17 | 17 | | student's absence. |
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| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
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| 19 | 19 | | school year. |
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| 20 | 20 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 21 | 21 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 22 | 22 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 23 | 23 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 24 | 24 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 25 | 25 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 27 | 27 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1212 was passed by the House on April |
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| 28 | 28 | | 20, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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| 29 | 29 | | voting. |
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| 30 | 30 | | ______________________________ |
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| 31 | 31 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 32 | 32 | | I certify that H.B. No. 1212 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 33 | 33 | | 15, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 34 | 34 | | ______________________________ |
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| 35 | 35 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 36 | 36 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 37 | 37 | | Date |
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| 38 | 38 | | _____________________ |
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| 39 | 39 | | Governor |
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