86R8443 JES-D

By: Turner of Dallas H.B. No. 2145

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to continuing education requirements for public educators regarding suicide prevention training.

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

SECTION 1. Section 21.451(d), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) The staff development:

(1) may include training in:

(A) technology;

(B) conflict resolution;

(C) discipline strategies, including classroom management, district discipline policies, and the student code of conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37;

(D) preventing, identifying, responding to, and reporting incidents of bullying; and

(E) digital learning;

(2) subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541 and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is evidence-based, as defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that:

(A) relates to instruction of students with disabilities; and

(B) is designed for educators who work primarily outside the area of special education; and

(3) must include suicide prevention training that must be provided:

(A) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter school educators; and

(B) to existing school district and open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule that requires an educator to be trained at least once every five years.

SECTION 2. An educator subject to continuing education requirements immediately before the effective date of this Act is not required to comply with the continuing education requirements described by Section 21.451(d)(3)(B), Education Code, as amended by this Act, for any continuing education requirement period that ends before June 1, 2020.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.