By:  Ellis, Zaffirini                                  S.B. No. 290
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to corporal punishment in public schools.
    1-2        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-3        SECTION 1.  Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
    1-4  amended by adding Section 21.310 to read as follows:
    1-5        Sec. 21.310.  CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.  (a)  An employee of a
    1-6  public school may not administer corporal punishment to a student.
    1-7        (b)  An employee of a public school may use reasonable and
    1-8  necessary physical restraining techniques for the purpose of:
    1-9              (1)  preventing a student from injuring a person or
   1-10  property; 
   1-11              (2)  self-defense; or
   1-12              (3)  obtaining possession from a pupil of a weapon or
   1-13  other dangerous object or of a controlled substance as defined in
   1-14  Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code (Texas Controlled Substances
   1-15  Act).
   1-16        (c)  In this section, "corporal punishment" includes hitting,
   1-17  spanking, or slapping a student with a hand or an object.
   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,
   1-23  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-1  passage, and it is so enacted.