BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 3076
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, enacted H.B. 2176 requiring a school district to incorporate a parenting and paternity awareness program, developed by the State Board of Education in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, in the high school health curriculum.
However, according to some studies, the problem starts long before high school, with an estimated 14 percent of 6th graders, 20 percent of 7th graders, and 30 percent of 8th graders reported as being sexually active and more than 1,200 13-year-old to 14-year-old girls getting pregnant each year.
This bill extends the parenting and paternity awareness program to middle and junior high schools. The bill allows a school district to develop or adopt research-based local programs and curriculum materials for use in conjunction with the program and authorizes the Texas Education Agency to evaluate such programs and curriculum materials and distribute them to other school districts.
H.B. 3076 amends current law relating to a parenting and paternity awareness program used in the health curriculum for public schools.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 28.002, Education Code, by amending Subsection (p) and adding Subsections (p-2), (p-3), and (p-4), as follows:
(p) Authorizes a school district to use the program developed under this subsection in the district's middle or junior high school curriculum. Authorizes a teacher, at the discretion of the district, to modify the suggested sequence and pace of the program at any grade level. Requires that the program, in district middle, junior high, or high schools that do not have a family violence prevention program, address skills relating to the prevention of family violence.
(p-2) Authorizes a school district to develop or adopt research-based programs and curriculum materials for use in conjunction with the program developed under Subsection (p). Authorizes the programs and curriculum materials to provide instruction in child development; parenting skills, including child abuse and neglect prevention; and assertiveness skills to prevent teenage pregnancy, abusive relationships, and family violence.
(p-3) Requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to evaluate programs and curriculum materials developed under Subsection (p-2) and distribute to other school districts information regarding those programs and materials.
(p-4) Prohibits a student under 14 years of age from participating in a program developed under Subsection (p) without the permission of the student's parent or person standing in parental relation to the student.
SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.