| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to requiring public schools to provide instruction and |
|
|
materials and adopt policies relating to the prevention of child |
|
|
abuse, family violence, and dating violence. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Christine Blubaugh |
|
|
Act. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (u) to read as follows: |
|
|
(u) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules requiring |
|
|
students to receive instruction on the prevention of child abuse, |
|
|
family violence, and dating violence at least once in middle or |
|
|
junior high school and at least twice in high school. The |
|
|
instruction must include information on: |
|
|
(1) the dating violence policy adopted by the |
|
|
student's school district under Section 37.0831; |
|
|
(2) the prevalence of dating violence and the |
|
|
recognition of abuse warning signs; |
|
|
(3) the procedures for reporting violence or abuse; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(4) educational materials or resources available to |
|
|
students under Section 37.0831(c). |
|
|
SECTION 3. The heading to Section 37.0831, Education Code, |
|
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 37.0831. DATING VIOLENCE POLICIES; EDUCATIONAL |
|
|
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Section 37.0831, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(b) A dating violence policy must: |
|
|
(1) include: |
|
|
(A) a definition of dating violence that includes |
|
|
the intentional use of physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse |
|
|
by a person to harm, threaten, intimidate, or control another |
|
|
person in a dating relationship, as defined by Section 71.0021, |
|
|
Family Code; |
|
|
(B) a clear statement that dating violence is not |
|
|
tolerated at school; |
|
|
(C) reporting procedures and guidelines for |
|
|
students who are victims of dating violence; and |
|
|
(D) information regarding the instruction on the |
|
|
prevention of dating violence required under Section 28.002(u); and |
|
|
(2) address safety planning, enforcement of |
|
|
protective orders, school-based alternatives to protective orders, |
|
|
training for teachers and administrators, counseling for affected |
|
|
students, and awareness education for students and parents. |
|
|
(c) To the extent possible, a school district shall make |
|
|
available to students: |
|
|
(1) age-appropriate educational materials that |
|
|
include information on the dangers of dating violence; and |
|
|
(2) resources to students seeking help. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 6. 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, 2021. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1109 passed the Senate on |
|
|
May 4, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2; and that the |
|
|
Senate concurred in House amendment on May 29, 2021, by the |
|
|
following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
______________________________ |
| |
Secretary of the Senate |
| |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1109 passed the House, with |
|
|
amendment, on May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 99, |
|
|
Nays 48, two present not voting. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
______________________________ |
| |
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Approved: |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Governor |