Bill Text: TX SB207 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to excused absences from public school for certain students to attend mental health care appointments.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [SB207 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-SB207-Introduced.html
| 89R2507 ANG-F | ||
| By: Paxton, Johnson | S.B. No. 207 | |
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| relating to excused absences from public school for certain | ||
| students to attend mental health care appointments. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 25.087(b), Education Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (b) A school district shall excuse a student from attending | ||
| school for: | ||
| (1) the following purposes, including travel for those | ||
| purposes: | ||
| (A) observing religious holy days; | ||
| (B) attending a required court appearance; | ||
| (C) appearing at a governmental office to | ||
| complete paperwork required in connection with the student's | ||
| application for United States citizenship; | ||
| (D) taking part in a United States naturalization | ||
| oath ceremony; | ||
| (E) serving as an election clerk; or | ||
| (F) if the student is in the conservatorship of | ||
| the Department of Family and Protective Services, participating, as | ||
| determined and documented by the department, in an activity: | ||
| (i) ordered by a court under Chapter 262 or | ||
| 263, Family Code, provided that it is not practicable to schedule | ||
| the participation outside of school hours; or | ||
| (ii) required under a service plan under | ||
| Subchapter B, Chapter 263, Family Code; | ||
| (2) a temporary absence resulting from an appointment | ||
| with health care professionals, including mental health | ||
| professionals, for the student or the student's child if the | ||
| student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of | ||
| the appointment; or | ||
| (3) an absence resulting from a serious or | ||
| life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes the | ||
| student's attendance infeasible, if the student or the student's | ||
| parent or guardian provides a certification from a physician | ||
| licensed to practice medicine in this state specifying the | ||
| student's illness and the anticipated period of the student's | ||
| absence relating to the illness or related treatment. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 | ||
| 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, 2025. | ||
