| 4 | 7 | | |
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| 5 | 8 | | |
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| 6 | 9 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 11 | | relating to excused absences from public school for certain |
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| 9 | 12 | | students to attend mental health care appointments. |
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| 10 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Section 25.087(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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| 12 | 15 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 16 | | (b) A school district shall excuse a student from attending |
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| 14 | 17 | | school for: |
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| 15 | 18 | | (1) the following purposes, including travel for those |
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| 16 | 19 | | purposes: |
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| 17 | 20 | | (A) observing religious holy days; |
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| 18 | 21 | | (B) attending a required court appearance; |
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| 19 | 22 | | (C) appearing at a governmental office to |
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| 20 | 23 | | complete paperwork required in connection with the student's |
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| 21 | 24 | | application for United States citizenship; |
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| 22 | 25 | | (D) taking part in a United States naturalization |
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| 23 | 26 | | oath ceremony; |
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| 24 | 27 | | (E) serving as an election clerk; or |
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| 25 | 28 | | (F) if the student is in the conservatorship of |
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| 26 | 29 | | the Department of Family and Protective Services, participating, as |
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| 27 | 30 | | determined and documented by the department, in an activity: |
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| 28 | 31 | | (i) ordered by a court under Chapter 262 or |
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| 29 | 32 | | 263, Family Code, provided that it is not practicable to schedule |
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| 30 | 33 | | the participation outside of school hours; or |
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| 31 | 34 | | (ii) required under a service plan under |
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| 32 | 35 | | Subchapter B, Chapter 263, Family Code; |
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| 33 | 36 | | (2) a temporary absence resulting from an appointment |
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| 34 | 37 | | with health care professionals, including mental health |
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| 35 | 38 | | professionals, for the student or the student's child if the |
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| 36 | 39 | | student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of |
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| 37 | 40 | | the appointment; or |
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| 38 | 41 | | (3) an absence resulting from a serious or |
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| 39 | 42 | | life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes the |
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| 40 | 43 | | student's attendance infeasible, if the student or the student's |
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| 41 | 44 | | parent or guardian provides a certification from a physician |
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| 42 | 45 | | licensed to practice medicine in this state specifying the |
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| 43 | 46 | | student's illness and the anticipated period of the student's |
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| 44 | 47 | | absence relating to the illness or related treatment. |
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| 45 | 48 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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| 46 | 49 | | school year. |
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| 47 | 50 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 48 | 51 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 49 | 52 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 50 | 53 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 51 | 54 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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