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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to allowing school districts to employ chaplains to |
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perform the duties of school counselors. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 33.002, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsections (b) and (c) or any other |
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law, a school district may employ a chaplain instead of a school |
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counselor to perform the duties required of a school counselor |
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under this title. A chaplain employed under this subsection is not |
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required to be certified by the State Board for Educator |
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Certification. |
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SECTION 2. Section 48.115(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Funds allocated under this section must be used to |
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improve school safety and security, including costs associated |
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with: |
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(1) securing school facilities, including: |
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(A) improvements to school infrastructure; |
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(B) the use or installation of physical barriers; |
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and |
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(C) the purchase and maintenance of: |
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(i) security cameras or other security |
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equipment; and |
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(ii) technology, including communications |
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systems or devices, that facilitates communication and information |
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sharing between students, school personnel, and first responders in |
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an emergency; |
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(2) providing security for the district, including: |
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(A) employing school district peace officers, |
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private security officers, and school marshals; and |
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(B) collaborating with local law enforcement |
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agencies, such as entering into a memorandum of understanding for |
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the assignment of school resource officers to schools in the |
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district; |
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(3) school safety and security training and planning, |
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including: |
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(A) active shooter and emergency response |
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training; |
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(B) prevention and treatment programs relating |
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to addressing adverse childhood experiences; and |
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(C) the prevention, identification, and |
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management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based, |
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effective prevention practices and including: |
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(i) providing licensed counselors, social |
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workers, chaplains, and individuals trained in restorative |
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discipline and restorative justice practices; |
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(ii) providing mental health personnel and |
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support, including chaplains; |
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(iii) providing behavioral health |
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services, including hiring chaplains; |
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(iv) establishing threat reporting |
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systems; and |
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(v) developing and implementing programs |
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focused on restorative justice practices, culturally relevant |
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instruction, and providing mental health support, including the |
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utilization of chaplains; and |
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(4) providing programs related to suicide prevention, |
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intervention, and postvention, including the utilization of |
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chaplains. |
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SECTION 3. Each board of trustees of a school district and |
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each governing body of an open-enrollment charter school shall take |
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a record vote not later than six months after the effective date of |
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this Act on whether to adopt a policy authorizing every campus of |
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the district or school to hire a chaplain under Sections 33.002 and |
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48.115, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2023. |