The bill, H.B. No. 692, introduces a new requirement for public schools, including open-enrollment charter schools, to notify parents if a full-time nurse or the equivalent is not present during instructional hours for more than 30 consecutive days in a school year. The bill defines a "nurse" as a person licensed under Chapter 301 of the Occupations Code and specifies that a school can have the equivalent of a full-time nurse if it employs two or more nurses who cover all regular student instructional hours. The principal is responsible for providing written notice to parents within 30 instructional days of the absence, and the school must make a good faith effort to provide this notice in a bilingual format if necessary.

Additionally, the bill allows schools to fulfill the notification requirement by posting the information on their website, ensuring it is easily accessible. However, this requirement does not apply to school districts or charter schools with fewer than 10,000 students. The provisions of this act will take effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year, and it will become effective immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote from both houses of the legislature; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()