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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a parental leave policy for certain school district |
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classroom teachers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 21.416 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.416. PARENTAL LEAVE FOR CERTAIN CLASSROOM TEACHERS. |
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(a) The board of trustees of a school district shall adopt a policy |
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providing that a classroom teacher who has been employed by the |
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district for fewer than 12 months or who worked fewer than 1,250 |
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hours during the 12-month period preceding the beginning of the |
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leave under this section is eligible to take a parental leave of |
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absence not to exceed 12 weeks in accordance with this section if |
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the teacher has been employed as a classroom teacher by any district |
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in this state for at least 12 months and at least 1,250 hours during |
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the 12-month period preceding the beginning of the leave. |
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(b) The classroom teacher must first use all available and |
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applicable paid vacation and sick leave while taking the leave, and |
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the remainder of the leave is unpaid. |
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(c) The leave authorized by this section is limited to, and |
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begins on the date of, the birth of a natural child of the employee |
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or the adoption by or foster care placement with the employee of a |
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child. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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school year. |
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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. |