Jennifer's Law

Jennifer's Law is a law in the state of Texas, in the United States that was created as a result of the murder of Jennifer Ann Crecente in Austin, Texas. She was a Senior in high school and murdered a few months before her graduation. She was not given a posthumous diploma and her family requested that the law in Texas be changed.

History

On February 15, 2007, Senator Eliot Shapleigh from El Paso, Texas filed SB 697 in the Texas Senate to create "Jennifer's Law." [ [http://shapleigh.org/news/931-senator-shapleigh-files-jennifer-s-law-on-one-year-anniversary-of-passing-of-jennifer-ann-crecente Senator Shapleigh: Press Release] ] [ [http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/capitolpressreleases/entries/2007/02/16/senator_shapleigh_files_jennif.html Austin American-Statesman: "Senator Shapleigh files ‘Jennifer’s Law’ on one-year anniversary of passing of Jennifer Ann Crecente"] ] Representative Bolton filed companion bill HB 1563 in the Texas House of Representatives. The bill passed the Education Committees of both the Senate and House unanimously.

On May 23, 2007 the Senate voted on the bill and it was signed on May 28, 2007. On May 25, 2007 the House voted on the bill and it was signed on May 27, 2007. The bill was sent to Governor Rick Perry on May 28, 2007 and was signed by the governor on June 15, 2007. The law went into effect immediately. [ [http://www.legis.state.tx.us/billlookup/History.aspx?LegSess=80R&Bill=HB1563 History of House Bill 1563] ]

Usage

"Jennifer's Law" allows for parents of a deceased high school student to request a posthumous diploma from the school district in Texas to which the student's high school belongs, subject to the following conditions:

* The student must be enrolled in their Senior year of high school.
* The law applies to students beginning the school year of 2005–2006.
* The student must have academically been "on track" to receive a diploma by the end of the year. The definition of "the end of the year" would include a summer session.
* The student must not have been convicted of a felony or adjudicated as having committed actions that would constitute a felony. [ [http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/HB01563F.htm Text of House Bill 1563] ]

References

[http://jenniferann.org/about_jennifer_ann.htm Jennifer Ann's Group: About Jennifer Ann Crecente]