78R446 BDH-D


By:  Corte, et al.                                                H.B. No. 16 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the expulsion of students for assault of school 
employees.      
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 37.006(a), Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
	(a)  Except as provided by Section 37.007(a)(3) or (b), a 
student shall be removed from class and placed in an alternative 
education program as provided by Section 37.008 if the student:
		(1)  engages in conduct involving a public school that 
contains the elements of the offense of false alarm or report under 
Section 42.06, Penal Code, or terroristic threat under Section 
22.07, Penal Code;  or
		(2)  commits the following on or within 300 feet of 
school property, as measured from any point on the school's real 
property boundary line, or while attending a school-sponsored or 
school-related activity on or off of school property:
			(A)  engages in conduct punishable as a felony;                              
			(B)  engages in conduct that contains the elements 
of the offense of assault under Section 22.01(a)(1), Penal Code, if 
committed against a person other than a school employee;
			(C)  sells, gives, or delivers to another person 
or possesses or uses or is under the influence of:
				(i)  marihuana or a controlled substance, as 
defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. 
Section 801 et seq.; or
				(ii)  a dangerous drug, as defined by 
Chapter 483, Health and Safety Code;
			(D)  sells, gives, or delivers to another person 
an alcoholic beverage, as defined by Section 1.04, Alcoholic 
Beverage Code, commits a serious act or offense while under the 
influence of alcohol, or possesses, uses, or is under the influence 
of an alcoholic beverage;
			(E)  engages in conduct that contains the elements 
of an offense relating to abusable glue or aerosol paint under 
Sections 485.031 through 485.035, Health and Safety Code, or 
relating to volatile chemicals under Chapter 484, Health and Safety 
Code; or
			(F)  engages in conduct that contains the elements 
of the offense of public lewdness under Section 21.07, Penal Code, 
or indecent exposure under Section 21.08, Penal Code.
	SECTION 2.  Sections 37.007(a) and (b), Education Code, are 
amended to read as follows:
	(a)  A student shall be expelled from a school if the 
student, on school property or while attending a school-sponsored 
or school-related activity on or off of school property:
		(1)  uses, exhibits, or possesses:                                            
			(A)  a firearm as defined by Section 46.01(3), 
Penal Code;                 
			(B)  an illegal knife as defined by Section 
46.01(6), Penal Code, or by local policy;
			(C)  a club as defined by Section 46.01(1), Penal 
Code; or                 
			(D)  a weapon listed as a prohibited weapon under 
Section 46.05, Penal Code;
		(2)  engages in conduct that contains the elements of 
the offense of:       
			(A)  aggravated assault under Section 22.02, 
Penal Code, sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal Code, or 
aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021, Penal Code;
			(B)  assault under Section 22.01(a)(1), Penal 
Code, if committed against a school employee;
			(C)  arson under Section 28.02, Penal Code;                           
			(D) [(C)]  murder under Section 19.02, Penal 
Code, capital murder under Section 19.03, Penal Code, or criminal 
attempt, under Section 15.01, Penal Code, to commit murder or 
capital murder;
			(E) [(D)] indecency with a child under Section 
21.11, Penal Code; or
			(F) [(E)] aggravated kidnapping under Section 
20.04, Penal Code; or
		(3)  engages in conduct specified by Section 
37.006(a)(2)(C) or (D), if the conduct is punishable as a felony.
	(b)  A student may be expelled if the student:                                 
		(1)  engages in conduct involving a public school that 
contains the elements of the offense of false alarm or report under 
Section 42.06, Penal Code, or terroristic threat under Section 
22.07, Penal Code; or
		(2)  while on school property or while attending a 
school-sponsored or school-related activity on or off of school 
property:
			(A)  sells, gives, or delivers to another person 
or possesses, uses, or is under the influence of any amount of:
				(i)  marihuana or a controlled substance, as 
defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. 
Section 801 et seq.;
				(ii)  a dangerous drug, as defined by 
Chapter 483, Health and Safety Code;  or
				(iii)  an alcoholic beverage, as defined by 
Section 1.04, Alcoholic Beverage Code;
			(B)  engages in conduct that contains the elements 
of an offense relating to abusable glue or aerosol paint under 
Sections 485.031 through 485.035, Health and Safety Code, or 
relating to volatile chemicals under Chapter 484, Health and Safety 
Code; or
			(C)  engages in conduct that contains the elements 
of an offense under Section 22.01(a)(1), Penal Code, against a 
[school district employee or a] volunteer as defined by Section 
22.053.
	SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2003-2004 
school year.       
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.