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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to including antisemitism in the definition of bullying |
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for the purpose of school discipline policies. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 37.0832(a), Education Code, is amended |
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by amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (3) to read as |
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follows: |
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(1) "Bullying": |
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(A) means a single significant act or a pattern |
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of acts by one or more students directed at another student that |
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exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging in written or |
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verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or |
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physical conduct that satisfies the applicability requirements |
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provided by Subsection (a-1), and that: |
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(i) has the effect or will have the effect |
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of physically harming a student, damaging a student's property, or |
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placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person |
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or of damage to the student's property; |
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(ii) is sufficiently severe, persistent, or |
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pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, |
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threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student; |
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(iii) materially and substantially |
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disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a |
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classroom or school; or |
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(iv) infringes on the rights of the victim |
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at school; and |
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(B) includes cyberbullying and antisemitism. |
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(3) "Antisemitism" means conduct described by |
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Paragraph (1)(A) that is based on a certain perception of Jews that |
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may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. The term includes |
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rhetorical and physical acts of antisemitism directed toward Jewish |
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or non-Jewish individuals or their property or toward Jewish |
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community institutions and religious facilities. Examples of |
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antisemitism are included with the International Holocaust |
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Remembrance Alliance's "Working Definition of Antisemitism" |
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adopted on May 26, 2016. |
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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. |