Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3613 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R10986 MCF-D
2	2	By: Louderback H.B. No. 3613
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the number of unexcused absences from school that
10	10	constitute truant conduct or parental contribution to
11	11	nonattendance of school and a school district's discretion to refer
12	12	a student to truancy court.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Section 25.095(b), Education Code, is amended to
15	15	read as follows:
16	16	(b) A school district shall notify a student's parent if the
17	17	student has been absent from school, without excuse under Section
18	18	25.087, on three days or parts of days within a four-week period in
19	19	the same school year. The notice must:
20	20	(1) inform the parent that:
21	21	(A) it is the parent's duty to monitor the
22	22	student's school attendance and require the student to attend
23	23	school; [and]
24	24	(B) the student is subject to truancy prevention
25	25	measures under Section 25.0915; and
26	26	(C) the student may be referred to a truancy
27	27	court for truant conduct under Section 65.003(a), Family Code; and
28	28	(2) request a conference between school officials and
29	29	the parent to discuss the absences.
30	30	SECTION 2. Section 25.0951, Education Code, is amended by
31	31	adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsections (b) and (d) to
32	32	read as follows:
33	33	(a-1) If a student fails to attend school without excuse on
34	34	three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period in the
35	35	same school year but does not fail to attend school for the time
36	36	described by Subsection (a), the school district may, before the
37	37	10th school day after the student's third absence, refer the
38	38	student to a truancy court for truant conduct under Section
39	39	65.003(a), Family Code.
40	40	(b) If a student fails to attend school without excuse as
41	41	specified by Subsection (a) or (a-1), a school district may file a
42	42	complaint against the student's parent in a county, justice, or
43	43	municipal court for an offense under Section 25.093 if the school
44	44	district provides evidence of the parent's criminal negligence. In
45	45	this subsection, "parent" includes a person standing in parental
46	46	relation.
47	47	(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (a-1), a school
48	48	district may delay a referral of a student for truant conduct, or
49	49	may choose to not refer a student for truant conduct, if the school
50	50	district:
51	51	(1) is applying truancy prevention measures to the
52	52	student under Section 25.0915; and
53	53	(2) determines that the truancy prevention measures
54	54	are succeeding and it is in the best interest of the student that a
55	55	referral be delayed or not be made.
56	56	SECTION 3. Section 65.003(a), Family Code, is amended to
57	57	read as follows:
58	58	(a) A child engages in truant conduct if the child is
59	59	required to attend school under Section 25.085, Education Code, and
60	60	fails to attend school on:
61	61	(1) 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month
62	62	period in the same school year; or
63	63	(2) three or more days or parts of days within a
64	64	four-week period in the same school year.
65	65	SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply
66	66	beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
67	67	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
68	68	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
69	69	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
70	70	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
71	71	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.