The bill amends various sections of the Texas Education Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure to address truancy and the responsibilities of parents regarding their children's school attendance. It establishes that a defendant can discharge fines through community service, with a specific provision that those fined for truancy offenses under Section 25.093 will discharge $100 for every six hours of community service performed, as opposed to the standard eight hours. Additionally, if a school district has previously imposed truancy prevention measures on a student, they can refer the student to truancy court without reapplying those measures if the student engages in further truancy-related conduct.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new requirement for school districts to submit an annual attendance report detailing students' truancy and the measures taken, as well as a provision allowing parents convicted of contributing to nonattendance to petition for nondisclosure of their criminal history under certain conditions. The bill also clarifies that fines imposed for truancy can be dismissed if the parent provides proof of the child's age, graduation, or military enlistment. The changes will take effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year, with specific reporting deadlines set for school districts.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 25.0915, Education Code 25.093, Government Code 411.074 (Government Code 411, Education Code 25)
House Committee Report: Education Code 25.0915, Education Code 25.093, Government Code 411.074 (Government Code 411, Education Code 25)