BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2019

By: Geren

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that parents of public school students are provided with helpful information about the prevention of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and the maltreatment of children. There have been calls to include information on sex offenders in the information provided to parents to increase school safety. H.B. 2019 seeks to address these calls by requiring a public school district to notify the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in the district of the link to the Department of Public Safety website containing the sex offender database.

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

H.B. 2019 amends the Education Code to require a public school district to provide written notice to the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in the district of the link to the website maintained by the Department of Public Safety that contains the sex offender database. The bill applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.