83R10610 CAS-F
 
  By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1541
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to discipline of public school students by school bus
  drivers.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 37.001(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The board of trustees of an independent school district
  shall, with the advice of its district-level committee established
  under Subchapter F, Chapter 11, adopt a student code of conduct for
  the district.  The student code of conduct must be posted and
  prominently displayed at each school campus or made available for
  review at the office of the campus principal.  In addition to
  establishing standards for student conduct, the student code of
  conduct must:
               (1)  specify the circumstances, in accordance with this
  subchapter, under which a student may be removed from a classroom,
  campus, [or] disciplinary alternative education program, or school
  bus;
               (2)  specify conditions that authorize or require a
  principal or other appropriate administrator to transfer a student
  to a disciplinary alternative education program;
               (3)  outline conditions under which a student may be
  suspended as provided by Section 37.005 or expelled as provided by
  Section 37.007;
               (4)  specify that consideration will be given, as a
  factor in each decision concerning suspension, removal to a
  disciplinary alternative education program, expulsion, or
  placement in a juvenile justice alternative education program,
  regardless of whether the decision concerns a mandatory or
  discretionary action, to:
                     (A)  self-defense;
                     (B)  intent or lack of intent at the time the
  student engaged in the conduct;
                     (C)  a student's disciplinary history; or
                     (D)  a disability that substantially impairs the
  student's capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of the student's
  conduct;
               (5)  provide guidelines for setting the length of a
  term of:
                     (A)  a removal under Section 37.006; and
                     (B)  an expulsion under Section 37.007;
               (6)  address the notification of a student's parent or
  guardian of a violation of the student code of conduct committed by
  the student that results in suspension, removal to a disciplinary
  alternative education program, or expulsion;
               (7)  prohibit bullying, harassment, and making hit
  lists and ensure that district employees enforce those
  prohibitions; and
               (8)  provide, as appropriate for students at each grade
  level, methods, including options, for:
                     (A)  managing students in the classroom and on
  school grounds;
                     (B)  disciplining students; and
                     (C)  preventing and intervening in student
  discipline problems, including bullying, harassment, and making
  hit lists.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 37, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 37.0022 to read as follows:
         Sec. 37.0022.  REMOVAL BY SCHOOL BUS DRIVER.  (a) The driver
  of a school bus transporting students to or from school or a
  school-sponsored or school-related activity may send a student to
  the principal's office to maintain effective discipline on the
  school bus. The principal shall respond by employing appropriate
  discipline management techniques consistent with the student code
  of conduct adopted under Section 37.001.
         (b)  The driver of a school bus transporting students to or
  from school or a school-sponsored or school-related activity shall
  send to the principal for placement in a disciplinary alternative
  education program or for expulsion, as appropriate, a student who,
  while on the school bus, engages in conduct described under Section
  37.006 or 37.007.  
         SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014
  school year.
         SECTION 4.  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, 2013.