House Pub Ed votes out seven bills

The House Public Education Committee voted out six of the bills that were heard last week, and one from the week before. The bills that will move forward are:

• HB 129 by Rep. Mary Gonzalez (creating a digital citizenship curriculum)
• HB 159 by Gonzalez (relating to educator preparation programs and training regarding students with disabilities)
• HB 699 by Rep. Jon Rosenthal (providing excused absences, and exemption from the 90% attendance rule, for students who miss school due to life-threatening illness or related treatments)
• HB 725 by Rep. Jared Patterson (adding students who were in foster care in a different state and now reside in Texas to those who are eligible for prekindergarten) – TCTA supported
• HB 785 by Rep. Alma Allen (requiring the annual review of a student’s behavioral improvement plan)
• HB 1080 by Rep. Jared Patterson (prohibiting UIL from excluding students who receive outpatient mental health services from UIL activities) – TCTA supported
• HB 1114 by Rep. Shawn Thierry (adding mental health services to the list of services that can be provided by a school-based health center) – TCTA supported
• HB 1603 by Rep. Dan Huberty (removing the expiration date for the individual graduation committees) – TCTA supported

The bills will now move to a calendars committee for possible placement on an upcoming House calendar.