BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 736

82R4527 VOO-D

By: Hinojosa

 

Education

 

4/18/2011

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Current law requires school districts in Texas to adopt a dating violence policy that includes awareness education for students and parents.

 

With the help of local family violence shelters and resource programs, some school districts have made great progress in implementing a dating violence policy, but that has not been the case for all districts.


School health advisory committees (SHACs) are collections of parents and other local community members.  Current law provides that SHACs advise school districts on school health curricula.  Dating abuse information represents an excellent and logical part of health classes.

 

S.B. 736 amends Section 28.004, Education Code, to include local domestic violence programs as members of SHACs.  The bill also requires that a SHAC, in its annual written report, provide recommendations in policies, programs, and resources on dating violence, bullying, and sexual harassment.

 

As proposed, S.B. 736 amends current law relating to membership and duties of local school health advisory councils.

 

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 Sections 28.004(d) and (m), Education Code, as follows:

 

(d)  Requires the board of trustees of a school district (board) to appoint at least five members to the local school health advisory council (council).  Requires that a majority of the members be persons who are parents of students enrolled in the district and who are not employed by the district.  Requires that one of those members serve as chair or co-chair of the council.  Authorizes the board to appoint one or more persons from each of certain groups, including local domestic violence programs.

 

(m)  Requires the council, in addition to performing other duties, to submit to the board, at least annually, a written report that includes:

 

(1)  any council recommendation concerning the school district's health education curriculum and instruction or related matters that the council has not previously submitted to the board, and policies, programs, and resources on dating violence, bullying, and sexual harassment;

 

(2)  any suggested modification to a council recommendation previously submitted to the board; and

 

(3)  a detailed explanation of the council's activities during the period between the date of the current report and the date of the last prior written report.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2011.