BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3887

By: Coleman

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that expanding the training given to certain public school personnel to include recognizing signs of physical or emotional trauma will enhance educators' abilities to identify relevant symptoms and exercise the appropriate intervention on behalf of students. C.S.H.B. 3887 seeks to provide for that training.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3887 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the programs on the list of recommended best practice-based programs in areas relating to mental health, substance abuse, and youth suicide for implementation in public elementary, junior high, middle, and high schools within the general education setting to include components that provide for training counselors, teachers, nurses, administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement officers and social workers who regularly interact with students, to recognize students displaying signs of physical or emotional trauma and to intervene effectively with those students by providing a certain written explanation regarding assistance to students who have learning difficulties or who need or may need special education services and by providing notice and referral to a parent or guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or substance abuse services, may be taken by the parent or guardian. The bill includes this training among the training required to be provided by each school district for appropriate personnel.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3887 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1. Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: (b-1) The program on the list must include components that provide for training counselors, teachers, nurses, administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement officers and social workers who regularly interact with students, to recognize students displaying signs of physical or emotional trauma. (1) intervene effectively with students described by this subdivision by providing notice and referral to a parent or guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or substance abuse services, may be taken by a parent or guardian.	SECTION 1. Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subsections (b-1), (c-3), and (c-4) and amending Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: (b-1) The programs on the list must include components that provide for training counselors, teachers, nurses, administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement officers and social workers who regularly interact with students, to: (1) recognize students displaying signs of physical or emotional trauma; and (2) intervene effectively with students described by Subdivision (1) by providing the written explanation required under Section 26.0081(c), Education Code, and notice and referral to a parent or guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or substance abuse services, may be taken by the parent or guardian. (c-1) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, each school district shall provide training described in the components set forth under Subsections [Subsection] (b) and (b-1) for teachers, counselors, principals, and all other appropriate personnel. A school district is required to provide the training at an elementary school campus only to the extent that sufficient funding and programs are available. A school district may implement a program on the list to satisfy the requirements of this subsection.
SECTION 2. Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subsections (c-3) and (c-4) to read as follows: (c-3) Each school district shall report annually to the Texas Education Agency: (1) the number of teachers, principals, and counselors employed by the district who have completed training under this section; and (2) the total number of teachers, principals, and counselors employed by the district. (c-4) The Texas Education Agency shall make the information reported under Subsection (c-3) available to the public on the agency's Internet website.	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.