SB 301

relating to the required number of minutes of instructional time to
be provided by a juvenile justice alternative education program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 37.011(f), Education Code, is amended to
(f)  A juvenile justice alternative education program must
provide [operate] at least 43,200 minutes of instructional time
[seven hours per day and 180 days] per year, except that a program
may apply to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department for a waiver of
the instructional time [180-day] requirement.  The department may
not grant a waiver to a program under this subsection for a number
of minutes [days] that exceeds the highest number of instructional
minutes [days] waived by the commissioner during the same school
year for any [a] school district served by the program.
SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.