|
Senate Bill 179 |
Senate Author: Menéndez et al. |
|
Effective: 9-1-17 |
House Sponsor: Minjarez et al. |
Senate Bill 179, David's Law, amends the Education Code to revise provisions relating to school district bullying prevention policies and procedures to provide protections against cyberbullying. The bill authorizes a student to be removed from class and placed in a disciplinary alternative education program or expelled for engaging in certain bullying behavior and authorizes a district to report certain conduct constituting assault or harassment to local law enforcement. Open-enrollment charter schools are subject to these provisions. The bill requires the Texas Education Agency, in coordination with the Health and Human Services Commission, to establish and maintain a website to provide resources for school employees regarding working with students with mental health conditions. The bill provides for injunctive relief for the cyberbullying of a child and enhances the penalty for harassment involving repeatedly sending certain electronic communications under specified circumstances.