By: Averitt S.B. No. 1219

(In the Senate - Filed March 2, 2009; March 13, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; March 25, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 25, 2009, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1219 By: Van de Putte

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a parenting and paternity awareness component of the health curriculum used in public high schools.

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

SECTION 1. Subsection (p), Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(p) The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the office of the attorney general, shall develop a parenting and paternity awareness program that a school district shall use in the district's high school health curriculum. At the discretion of the district, a teacher may modify the suggested sequence and pace of the program. The program must:

(1) address parenting skills and responsibilities, including child support and other legal rights and responsibilities that come with parenthood;

(2) address relationship skills, including money management, communication skills, and marriage preparation; and

(3) in district high schools that do not have a family violence prevention program, address skills relating to the prevention of family violence.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.

SECTION 3. 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, 2009.

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