By: Lucio S.B. No. 490

(In the Senate - Filed January 13, 2017; February 6, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; March 27, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 1; March 27, 2017, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 490 By: West

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to information regarding the number of school counselors in public schools.

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

SECTION 1. Section 39.306, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:

(d-1) The report must also include the number of school counselors providing counseling services at each campus.

SECTION 2. Section 42.006, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows:

(a-2) The commissioner by rule shall require each school district and open-enrollment charter school to report through the Public Education Information Management System information regarding the availability of school counselors at each campus. The commissioner's rules shall require a district or school to report the number of full-time equivalent school counselors providing counseling services at a campus. For purposes of this subsection, "full-time equivalent school counselor" means 40 hours of counseling services a week. The agency shall maintain the information provided in accordance with this subsection.

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, 2017.

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