Bill Text: TX HB1509 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to consent instruction and instruction on the prevention of sexual abuse and sex trafficking for certain public school students.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-04 - Referred to Public Education [HB1509 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB1509-Introduced.html
  86R7683 KJE-D
 
  By: Calanni H.B. No. 1509
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to consent instruction and instruction on the prevention
  of sexual abuse and sex trafficking for certain public school
  students.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 28.0045 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.0045.  CONSENT INSTRUCTION. (a) A school district
  shall include in the district's health curriculum for students in
  kindergarten through fifth grade instruction on the importance of
  obtaining a person's consent before engaging in any physical
  activity with that person.
         (b)  The State Board of Education shall adopt the essential
  knowledge and skills for age-appropriate curricula to be used by a
  school district in providing consent instruction under this
  section.
         (c)  A school district shall ensure that each student in
  kindergarten through fifth grade receives consent instruction
  under this section at least once in each grade level, unless the
  student's parent removes the student from the instruction for the
  applicable grade level.
         (d)  Before the beginning of each school year, a school
  district shall provide to the parent of each student enrolled in the
  district in kindergarten through fifth grade written notice that
  includes:
               (1)  a statement that the district will provide consent
  instruction as provided by this section to students in the
  applicable grade level;
               (2)  a description of the material that will be used in
  providing instruction to those students; and
               (3)  a statement that the parent has the right to review
  the material and remove the parent's student from the instruction.
         SECTION 2.  Section 28.017, Education Code, as added by
  Chapter 762 (S.B. 2039), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2017, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.017.  INSTRUCTION ON PREVENTION OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND
  SEX TRAFFICKING. (a) The commissioner, in cooperation with [the
  human trafficking prevention task force created under Section
  402.035, Government Code, and] any [other] persons the commissioner
  considers appropriate, shall develop one or more sexual abuse and
  sex trafficking instructional modules for use by [that] a school
  district as provided by this section [may use in the district's
  health curriculum]. The modules may include:
               (1)  information on the different forms of sexual abuse
  and assault, sex trafficking, and risk factors for sex trafficking;
               (2)  the procedures for reporting sexual abuse and sex
  trafficking or suspected sexual abuse or sex trafficking;
               (3)  strategies for sexual abuse and assault prevention
  and overcoming peer pressure;
               (4)  information on establishing healthy boundaries
  for relationships, recognizing potentially abusive or harmful
  relationships, and avoiding high-risk activities;
               (5)  the recruiting tactics of sex traffickers and peer
  recruiters, including recruitment through the Internet;
               (6)  the legal aspects of sexual abuse and sex
  trafficking under state and federal law; and
               (7)  the influence of culture and mass media on
  perceptions of sexual abuse and sex trafficking, including
  stereotypes and myths about victims and abusers, victim blaming,
  and the role of language.
         (a-1)  As age-appropriate, a school district:
               (1)  shall use the modules developed under Subsection
  (a) in the district's health curriculum for students in grade
  levels 6 through 12; and
               (2)  may use those modules in the district's health
  curriculum for students not described by Subdivision (1).
         (a-2)  A school district shall ensure that each student in
  grade levels 9 through 12 receives age-appropriate instruction
  using the modules developed under Subsection (a) at least once in
  each grade level, unless the student's parent removes the student
  from the instruction for the applicable grade level.
         (b)  The module or modules developed under Subsection (a)
  must emphasize compassion for victims of sexual abuse or sex
  trafficking and the creation of a positive reentry experience for
  survivors of sexual abuse or sex trafficking into schools.
         (c)  Before the beginning of each school year, a school
  district [that elects to use a module developed under Subsection
  (a) in the district's health curriculum] shall provide [written
  notice] to the parent of each student enrolled in the district in a
  grade level for which a module developed under Subsection (a) will
  be used written notice that includes [the following]:
               (1)  a statement that the district will provide
  instruction relating to sexual abuse and sex trafficking awareness
  to students in the applicable grade level [enrolled in the
  district];
               (2)  a description of the material that will be used in
  providing instruction to those students; and
               (3)  a statement that the parent has the right to review
  the material and remove the parent's student from the instruction.
         (d)  If a school district does not comply with the
  requirements of Subsection (c), a parent of a student enrolled in
  the district may file a complaint in accordance with the district's
  grievance procedure developed under Section 26.011.
         SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2020-2021
  school year.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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