By: Dukes, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.B. No. 121

(In the Senate - Received from the House March 15, 2007; March 29, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 25, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 25, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 121 By: West

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to public school policies designed to prevent dating violence.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 37, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 37.0831 to read as follows:

Sec. 37.0831. DATING VIOLENCE POLICIES. (a) Each school district shall adopt and implement a dating violence policy to be included in the district improvement plan under Section 11.252.

(b) A dating violence policy must:

(1) include a definition of dating violence that includes the intentional use of physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse by a person to harm, threaten, intimidate, or control another person in a dating relationship, as defined by Section 71.0021, Family Code; and

(2) address safety planning, enforcement of protective orders, school-based alternatives to protective orders, training for teachers and administrators, counseling for affected students, and awareness education for students and parents.

SECTION 2. 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, 2007.

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