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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring the Texas Education Agency to provide |
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identification kits to school districts and open-enrollment |
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charter schools for distribution to the parent or legal custodian |
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of certain students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 33.0531 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.0531. CHILD IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM. (a) The |
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agency shall provide to all school districts and open-enrollment |
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charter schools inkless, in-home fingerprint and DNA |
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identification kits to be distributed through the district or |
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school on request to the parent or legal custodian of any |
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kindergarten, elementary, or middle school student. |
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(b) A parent or legal custodian who receives a fingerprint |
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and DNA identification kit may submit the kit to federal, state, |
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tribal, or local law enforcement to help locate and return a missing |
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or trafficked child. |
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SECTION 2. Section 33.057, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.057. DESTRUCTION OF FINGERPRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS. |
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The agency shall adopt rules relating to the destruction of |
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fingerprints and photographs made or kept under Section 33.053 or |
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33.054 [this subchapter]. |
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SECTION 3. The Texas Education Agency is required to |
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implement Section 33.0531, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
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only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that |
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purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money |
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specifically for that purpose, the agency may, but is not required |
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to, implement that section using other appropriations available for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |