HBA-TBM, CCH H.B. 1276 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1276 By: Crownover, Myra Public Education 5/1/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, a parent enrolling a child in school is required to present legal documentation of the child's identity. Schools use a student's legal name in attendance, immunization, and other records. Sometimes a student or parent will request that a student be identified by a name other than the student's legal name. As a result, schools may become embroiled in family disputes that do not relate to educating children. House Bill 1276 requires a student's legal surname to be used in the classroom. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1276 amends the Education Code to provide that in each public school a student must be identified by the student's legal surname as that name appears on the student's birth certificate or other document suitable as proof of the student's identity, or in a court order changing the student's name. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. This Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002 school year.