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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the adoption of a healthy and safe school water plan by |
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public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 38.037 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 38.037. HEALTHY AND SAFE SCHOOL WATER PLAN. (a) In |
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this section, "water source" means any running water tap that is |
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used for drinking or food preparation. |
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(b) Each school district shall adopt a healthy and safe |
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school water plan. The plan must include provisions for: |
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(1) periodic testing for lead in school water sources; |
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and |
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(2) reducing exposure to elevated levels of lead in |
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school water sources. |
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(c) If the results of a school water source test for lead |
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show a level of lead that exceeds 15 parts per billion, the school |
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district must restrict access to the water source within 48 hours of |
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learning of the test results. The district must determine and |
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mitigate the source of the lead contamination, and a subsequent |
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test for lead must show a level of lead below 15 parts per billion |
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before access to the water source is returned to normal. |
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(d) The agency, in collaboration with the Texas Commission |
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on Environmental Quality, the Department of State Health Services, |
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regional education service centers, and other stakeholders, shall |
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develop a model healthy and safe school water plan that a school |
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district may use to comply with the requirements of this section. |
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(e) To the extent that funds are available to the agency for |
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the purpose, the agency shall develop a program under which the |
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agency reimburses a school district for testing lead concentrations |
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in school water sources. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2025, the Texas |
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Education Agency shall develop the model healthy and safe school |
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water plan required by Section 38.037, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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(b) Not later than September 1, 2026, each school district |
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and open-enrollment charter school shall adopt a healthy and safe |
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school water plan as required by Section 38.037, Education Code, as |
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added by this Act, and Section 12.104(b)(3)(K), Education Code, as |
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applicable. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |