Bill Text: TX SB9 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 1st Special Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to requiring public schools to provide instruction and materials and adopt policies relating to the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating violence.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-07-13 - Committee report printed and distributed [SB9 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB9-Comm_Sub.html
| By: West | S.B. No. 9 | |
| (In the Senate - Filed July 9, 2021; July 9, 2021, read | ||
| first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence; | ||
| July 13, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 4, | ||
| Nays 0; July 13, 2021, sent to printer.) | ||
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| relating to requiring public schools to provide instruction and | ||
| materials and adopt policies relating to the prevention of child | ||
| abuse, family violence, and dating violence. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Christine Blubaugh | ||
| Act. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsections (u), (u-1), (u-2), and (u-3) to read as follows: | ||
| (u) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules requiring | ||
| students to receive instruction on the prevention of child abuse, | ||
| family violence, and dating violence at least once in middle or | ||
| junior high school and at least once in high school. The | ||
| instruction must include information on: | ||
| (1) the dating violence policy adopted by the | ||
| student's school district under Section 37.0831; | ||
| (2) the prevalence of dating violence and the | ||
| recognition of abuse warning signs; | ||
| (3) the procedures for reporting violence or abuse; | ||
| and | ||
| (4) educational materials or resources available to | ||
| students under Section 37.0831(c). | ||
| (u-1) Before each school year, a school district shall | ||
| provide written notice as described by Subsection (u-2) to a parent | ||
| of each student enrolled in the district who will receive: | ||
| (1) the instruction required by Subsection (u); or | ||
| (2) any other instruction required by state law | ||
| relating to the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and | ||
| dating violence. | ||
| (u-2) The written notice required by Subsection (u-1) must | ||
| include: | ||
| (1) a statement that the district will provide | ||
| instruction to the parent's student relating to the prevention of | ||
| child abuse, family violence, and dating violence; | ||
| (2) a description of: | ||
| (A) the curriculum materials that will be used in | ||
| providing instruction to the parent's student relating to the | ||
| prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating violence; | ||
| and | ||
| (B) the educational materials and resources | ||
| described by Section 37.0831(c); and | ||
| (3) a statement of the parent's right to: | ||
| (A) review the materials and resources described | ||
| by Subdivision (2); and | ||
| (B) remove the student from instruction relating | ||
| to the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating | ||
| violence without subjecting the student to any disciplinary action, | ||
| academic penalty, or other sanction imposed by the district or the | ||
| student's school. | ||
| (u-3) If a school district does not comply with the | ||
| requirements of Subsections (u-1) and (u-2), a parent of a student | ||
| enrolled in the district may file a complaint in accordance with the | ||
| district's grievance procedure adopted as required by Section | ||
| 26.011. | ||
| SECTION 3. The heading to Section 37.0831, Education Code, | ||
| is amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 37.0831. DATING VIOLENCE POLICIES; EDUCATIONAL | ||
| MATERIALS AND RESOURCES. | ||
| SECTION 4. Section 37.0831, Education Code, is amended by | ||
| amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| (b) A dating violence policy must: | ||
| (1) include: | ||
| (A) a definition of dating violence that includes | ||
| the intentional use of physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse | ||
| by a person to harm, threaten, intimidate, or control another | ||
| person in a dating relationship, as defined by Section 71.0021, | ||
| Family Code; | ||
| (B) a clear statement that dating violence is not | ||
| tolerated at school; | ||
| (C) reporting procedures and guidelines for | ||
| students who are victims of dating violence; and | ||
| (D) information regarding the instruction on the | ||
| prevention of dating violence required under Section 28.002(u); and | ||
| (2) address safety planning, enforcement of | ||
| protective orders, school-based alternatives to protective orders, | ||
| training for teachers and administrators at each district campus | ||
| that instructs students in grade six or higher, counseling for | ||
| affected students, and awareness education for students and | ||
| parents. | ||
| (c) To the extent possible, a school district shall make | ||
| available to students: | ||
| (1) age-appropriate educational materials that | ||
| include information on the dangers of dating violence; and | ||
| (2) resources to students seeking help. | ||
| SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 | ||
| school year. | ||
| SECTION 6. 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 on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
| legislative session. | ||
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