Bill Text: TX HB3613 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the number of unexcused absences from school that constitute truant conduct or parental contribution to nonattendance of school and a school district's discretion to refer a student to truancy court.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-03-25 - Referred to s/c on Juvenile Justice by Speaker [HB3613 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB3613-Introduced.html
| 89R10986 MCF-D | ||
| By: Louderback | H.B. No. 3613 | |
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| relating to the number of unexcused absences from school that | ||
| constitute truant conduct or parental contribution to | ||
| nonattendance of school and a school district's discretion to refer | ||
| a student to truancy court. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 25.095(b), Education Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (b) A school district shall notify a student's parent if the | ||
| student has been absent from school, without excuse under Section | ||
| 25.087, on three days or parts of days within a four-week period in | ||
| the same school year. The notice must: | ||
| (1) inform the parent that: | ||
| (A) it is the parent's duty to monitor the | ||
| student's school attendance and require the student to attend | ||
| school; [ |
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| (B) the student is subject to truancy prevention | ||
| measures under Section 25.0915; and | ||
| (C) the student may be referred to a truancy | ||
| court for truant conduct under Section 65.003(a), Family Code; and | ||
| (2) request a conference between school officials and | ||
| the parent to discuss the absences. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 25.0951, Education Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsections (b) and (d) to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (a-1) If a student fails to attend school without excuse on | ||
| three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period in the | ||
| same school year but does not fail to attend school for the time | ||
| described by Subsection (a), the school district may, before the | ||
| 10th school day after the student's third absence, refer the | ||
| student to a truancy court for truant conduct under Section | ||
| 65.003(a), Family Code. | ||
| (b) If a student fails to attend school without excuse as | ||
| specified by Subsection (a) or (a-1), a school district may file a | ||
| complaint against the student's parent in a county, justice, or | ||
| municipal court for an offense under Section 25.093 if the school | ||
| district provides evidence of the parent's criminal negligence. In | ||
| this subsection, "parent" includes a person standing in parental | ||
| relation. | ||
| (d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (a-1), a school | ||
| district may delay a referral of a student for truant conduct, or | ||
| may choose to not refer a student for truant conduct, if the school | ||
| district: | ||
| (1) is applying truancy prevention measures to the | ||
| student under Section 25.0915; and | ||
| (2) determines that the truancy prevention measures | ||
| are succeeding and it is in the best interest of the student that a | ||
| referral be delayed or not be made. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 65.003(a), Family Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (a) A child engages in truant conduct if the child is | ||
| required to attend school under Section 25.085, Education Code, and | ||
| fails to attend school on: | ||
| (1) 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month | ||
| period in the same school year; or | ||
| (2) three or more days or parts of days within a | ||
| four-week period in the same school year. | ||
| SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply | ||
| beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. | ||
| SECTION 5. 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, 2025. | ||
