BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 1166

                                                                                                                                           By: Dukes

                                                                                                                                 Public Education

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Violence in teenage dating relationships threatens the health and safety of youth throughout Texas.  Teenage dating violence results in injury and even death as in the case of Ortralla Mosley who was killed by her ex-boyfriend at Reagan High School in Austin on March 28th,  2003.  One in five teenagers experience abuse while in relationships and victims are more likely to be re-victimized in current and future relationships. H.B. 1166 seeks to provide measures to prevent dating violence in public school policies.

 

Currently 11.252,  District-Level Planning and Decision-Making of the Education Code, mandates school districts to provide an improvement plan for all student groups. The purpose of H.B. 1166 amends Chapter 37, Section 37 of the Education Code to provide guidance to school districts in establishing effective and consistent responses to incidents and disclosures of dating violence. H.B. 1166 asks school districts to adopt a definition of dating violence. Under this legislation, H.B. 1166 defines dating violence as the intentional use of physical, sexual, verbal, and/or emotional abuse used by a partner to harm, threaten, intimidate or otherwise control a partner as well as address safety planning, enforcement of protective orders, counseling, and awareness education.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

H.B. 1166 amends the Education Code by requiring each school district to adopt and implement a dating violence policy to be included in the district improvement plan.  This bill sets forth what must be included in a dating violence policy. 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members selected 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, 2005.