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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the scheduling of the last day of school for students by |
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public school districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 7.056(e), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) Except as provided by Subsection (f), a school campus or |
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district may not receive an exemption or waiver under this section |
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from: |
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(1) a prohibition on conduct that constitutes a |
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criminal offense; |
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(2) a requirement imposed by federal law or rule, |
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including a requirement for special education or bilingual |
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education programs; or |
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(3) a requirement, restriction, or prohibition |
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relating to: |
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(A) essential knowledge or skills under Section |
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28.002 or high school graduation requirements under Section 28.025; |
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(B) public school accountability as provided by |
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Subchapters B, C, D, E, and J, Chapter 39; |
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(C) extracurricular activities under Section |
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33.081 or participation in a University Interscholastic League |
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area, regional, or state competition under Section 33.0812; |
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(D) health and safety under Chapter 38; |
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(E) purchasing under Subchapter B, Chapter 44; |
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(F) elementary school class size limits, except |
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as provided by Section 25.112; |
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(G) removal of a disruptive student from the |
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classroom under Subchapter A, Chapter 37; |
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(H) at-risk programs under Subchapter C, Chapter |
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29; |
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(I) prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E, |
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Chapter 29; |
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(J) educator rights and benefits under |
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Subchapters A, C, D, E, F, G, and I, Chapter 21, or under Subchapter |
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A, Chapter 22; |
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(K) special education programs under Subchapter |
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A, Chapter 29; |
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(L) bilingual education programs under |
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Subchapter B, Chapter 29; or |
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(M) the requirements for the last [first] day of |
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school [instruction] under Section 25.0812 [25.0811]. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 25.0812 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.0812. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. (a) Except as provided by |
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Subsection (b), a school district may not schedule the last day of |
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school for students for a school year after the Friday preceding |
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Memorial Day. |
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(b) A school district may schedule the last day of school |
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for students for a school year after the Friday preceding Memorial |
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Day if the district operates a year-round system under Section |
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25.084. |
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(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a school district that |
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does not offer each grade level from kindergarten through grade 12 |
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and whose prospective or former students generally attend school in |
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another state for the grade levels the district does not offer may |
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schedule the last day of school on any date permitted under |
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Subsection (a) or the law of the other state. |
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SECTION 3. Section 25.084(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A school district may operate its schools year-round on |
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either a single-track or a multitrack calendar. If a school |
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district adopts a year-round system, the district may modify: |
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(1) the number of contract days of employees and the |
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number of days of operation, including any time required for staff |
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development, planning and preparation, and continuing education, |
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otherwise required by law; |
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(2) testing dates, data reporting, and related |
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matters; |
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(3) the date of the last [first] day of school for |
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students for a [instruction of the] school year under Section |
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25.0812 [25.0811] for a school that was operating year-round for |
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the 2014-2015 [2000-2001] school year; and |
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(4) a student's eligibility to participate in |
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extracurricular activities when the student's calendar track is not |
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in session. |
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SECTION 4. Section 151.326(a), Tax Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) The sale of an article of clothing or footwear designed |
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to be worn on or about the human body is exempted from the taxes |
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imposed by this chapter if: |
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(1) the sales price of the article is less than $100; |
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and |
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(2) the sale takes place during a period beginning at |
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12:01 a.m. on the second Friday of August [before the 15th day
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preceding the uniform date prescribed by Section 25.0811(a),
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Education Code, without regard to any exception authorized by that
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section, before which a school district may not begin instruction
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for the school year,] and ending at 12 midnight on the following |
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Sunday. |
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SECTION 5. Section 25.0811, Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 6. This Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect May 1, 2016. |