Bill Text: TX HB2881 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to excused absences from public school for a student's mental or behavioral health.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-14 - Referred to Youth Health & Safety, Select [HB2881 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2881-Introduced.html
88R3161 KJE-F | ||
By: Plesa | H.B. No. 2881 |
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relating to excused absences from public school for a student's | ||
mental or behavioral health. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (b-9) and amending Subsection (d) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(b-9) A school district shall excuse a student from | ||
attending school for a maximum of five days in a school year for the | ||
student's mental or behavioral health. The district may not | ||
require the student to provide a statement from a health care | ||
professional to justify or verify the student's absence. On a | ||
student's second excused absence under this subsection, the | ||
district may refer the student to the district's school counselor | ||
or other appropriate school support personnel. | ||
(d) A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b), | ||
(b-1), (b-2), (b-4), (b-5), (b-7), (b-9), or (c) may not be | ||
penalized for that absence and shall be counted as if the student | ||
attended school for purposes of calculating the average daily | ||
attendance of students in the school district. A student whose | ||
absence is excused under Subsection (b), (b-1), (b-2), (b-4), | ||
(b-5), (b-7), (b-9), or (c) shall be allowed a reasonable time to | ||
make up school work missed on those days. If the student | ||
satisfactorily completes the school work, the day of absence shall | ||
be counted as a day of compulsory attendance. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 | ||
school year. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |