By Davila                                             H.B. No. 2703
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a program to be developed in gun violence prevention.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter D of chapter 21 of the Texas Education
    1-5  Code is amended by adding Section 21.118 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 21.118  The Texas Education Agency shall develop a
    1-7  program to teach children (pre K-12) personal skills in
    1-8  non-violence and gun violence prevention.  The comprehensive
    1-9  school-based program should include:  methods to reduce gun
   1-10  injuries and death; a focus in non-violence through decision making
   1-11  skills and conflict resolution strategies; and prevention methods
   1-12  used to address social issues, such as drug abuse.  Information
   1-13  from existing programs on gun violence prevention and input from
   1-14  law enforcement agencies, social agencies, teachers and specialists
   1-15  shall be solicited and used to develop such a program.  The program
   1-16  shall include components relating to parent education and community
   1-17  involvement.
   1-18        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-19  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-20  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-21  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-22  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.