86R13566 SOS-D
 
  By: Talarico H.B. No. 2997
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to suicide prevention training for certain public school
  employees and public school mental health related programs and the
  applicability of related immunity provisions.
         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 in accordance with Section 161.325, Health and Safety
  Code[:
                     [(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].
         SECTION 2.  Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by amending Subsections (a), (c-1), (c-2), and (d) and
  adding Subsection (c-3) to read as follows:
         (a)  The department, in coordination with the Texas
  Education Agency and regional education service centers, shall
  provide and annually update a list of recommended best
  practice-based programs and research-based practices in the areas
  specified under Subsection (a-1) for implementation in public
  elementary, junior high, middle, and high schools within the
  general education setting. Each school district or open-enrollment
  charter school may select from the list a program or programs
  appropriate for implementation in the district or school.
         (c-1)  Each [Except as otherwise provided by this
  subsection, each] school district and open-enrollment charter
  school shall provide each year training described in the components
  set forth under Subsection (b) for an employee who regularly
  interacts with students enrolled in the district or school
  [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 or
  open-enrollment charter school must [may] implement a program on
  the list to satisfy the requirements of this subsection.
         (c-2)  A [If a school district provides the training under
  Subsection (c-1):
               [(1)  a] school district or open-enrollment charter
  school employee described under Subsection (c-1) [that subsection]
  must participate each year in the training described in the
  components set forth under Subsection (b) on a schedule adopted by
  rule by the commissioner of education.  An employee may satisfy the
  training required through independent review of suicide prevention
  training material that:
               (1)  complies with the guidelines developed by the
  Texas Education Agency; and
               (2)  is offered online.
         (c-3)  A [at least one time; and
               [(2)  the] school district or open-enrollment charter
  school shall maintain records that include the name of each
  district or school employee who participates [participated] in the
  training under Subsection (c-1) or (c-2).
         (d)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
  develop practices and procedures concerning each area listed in
  Subsection (a-1), including mental health promotion and
  intervention, substance abuse prevention and intervention, and
  suicide prevention, that:
               (1)  include a procedure for providing notice of a
  recommendation for early mental health or substance abuse
  intervention regarding a student to a parent or guardian of the
  student within a reasonable amount of time after the identification
  of early warning signs as described by Subsection (b)(2);
               (2)  include a procedure for providing notice of a
  student identified as at risk of death by suicide [committing
  suicide] to a parent or guardian of the student within a reasonable
  amount of time after the identification of early warning signs as
  described by Subsection (b)(2);
               (3)  establish that the district or school may develop
  a reporting mechanism and may designate at least one person to act
  as a liaison officer in the district or school for the purposes of
  identifying students in need of early mental health or substance
  abuse intervention or suicide prevention; and
               (4)  set out available counseling alternatives for a
  parent or guardian to consider when their child is identified as
  possibly being in need of early mental health or substance abuse
  intervention or suicide prevention.
         SECTION 3.  Section 161.326, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 161.326.  IMMUNITY. This subchapter does not:
               (1)  waive any immunity from liability of a school
  district or open-enrollment charter school or of the district or
  school officers or employees;
               (2)  create any liability for a cause of action against
  a school district or open-enrollment charter school or against the
  district or school officers or employees; or
               (3)  waive any immunity from liability under Section
  74.151, Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
         SECTION 4.  Sections 21.451(d-1) and (d-2), Education Code,
  are repealed.
         SECTION 5.  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, 2019.