| 1 | 1 | | 89R3664 RDR-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bucy H.B. No. 1785 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the eligibility of a person who is homeless to take the |
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| 10 | 10 | | high school equivalency examination. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 7.111, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | amending Subsection (a-1) and adding Subsection (a-2) to read as |
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| 14 | 14 | | follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a-1) A person who does not have a high school diploma may |
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| 16 | 16 | | take the examination in accordance with rules adopted by the board |
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| 17 | 17 | | if the person is: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) over 17 years of age; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) 16 years of age or older and: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (A) is enrolled in a Job Corps training program |
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| 21 | 21 | | under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. Section 2801 |
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| 22 | 22 | | et seq.), and its subsequent amendments; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (B) a public agency providing supervision of the |
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| 24 | 24 | | person or having custody of the person under a court order |
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| 25 | 25 | | recommends that the person take the examination; [or] |
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| 26 | 26 | | (C) is enrolled in the Texas Military |
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| 27 | 27 | | Department's Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps; or |
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| 28 | 28 | | (D) is a person who is homeless; or |
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| 29 | 29 | | (3) required to take the examination under a court |
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| 30 | 30 | | order issued under Section 65.103(a)(3), Family Code. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (a-2) The board may not adopt a rule under Subsection (a-1) |
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| 32 | 32 | | requiring a person who is homeless to obtain the consent of the |
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| 33 | 33 | | person's parent or guardian before taking the examination. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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| 35 | 35 | | school year. |
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| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 37 | 37 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 38 | 38 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 39 | 39 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 40 | 40 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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