HBA-CBW S.B. 704 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 704
By: West, Royce
Public Education
4/30/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law makes a narrow distinction between a school uniform requirement
and a standardized dress code.  If a school district adopts a school
uniform, the school board must designate a source of funding to be used in
providing uniforms for students who are educationally disadvantaged.
However, if a school district adopts a standardized dress code, it is not
required to provide clothing to educationally disadvantaged students.
Senate Bill 704 provides that  an independent school district may
discipline an educationally disadvantaged student for a violation of the
district's standardized dress code only if the district ensures that the
student or the student's parent can obtain proper clothing without cost to
the student or the student's parent.   

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

Senate Bill 704 amends the Education Code to authorize the board of
trustees of an independent school district (district) to adopt a
standardized student dress code to improve the learning environment in the
district or to maintain order in the district. The bill authorizes a
district to discipline an educationally disadvantaged student for violating
the standardized dress code only if the district ensures that the student
or the student's  parent can obtain clothing that complies with the
standardized dress code without cost to the student or the student's
parent.  The bill authorizes the district to provide clothing at district
expense or to arrange for a local public or private organization to provide
or pay for clothing. 

The bill provides that a decision by a board of trustees concerning the
reasonableness of restrictions on student dress or a parent's financial
inability to purchase clothing that complies with the standardized district
dress code is final and  may not be appealed to the commissioner of
education.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.