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.