HBA-JEK, CBW H.B. 874 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 874 By: Dutton Public Education 3/27/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Juvenile justice alternative education programs (JJAEPs) in counties of 125,000 or more are required to operate for 180 days per year. Unlike school districts, JJAEPs may not apply for a waiver of the 180-day rule. Some JJAEPs operate in the same service area as school districts that have received a waiver of exemption from the 180-day requirement. Operating the school district and the JJAEP on a parallel schedule might improve JJAEP attendance and be simpler for some teachers, students, and parents. House Bill 874 authorizes JJAEPs in counties of 125,000 or more to request a waiver of the 180-day requirement. 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 874 amends the Education Code to authorize a juvenile justice alternative program in a county of 125,000 or more to apply to the commissioner of education for a waiver of the required 180 days of operation as a school district is authorized by law to seek a waiver of a comparable requirement. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002 school year.