88S30275 TSS-D
 
  By: Smith H.B. No. 122
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to reports of certain misconduct engaged in by an employee
  of a public school, regional education service center, or shared
  services arrangement and a study by the Texas Education Agency
  regarding employee misconduct reporting mechanisms.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 22.092, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
         (c-1)  An employee described by Subsection (c) must be listed
  on the registry maintained under this section regardless of whether
  the employee resigned from the employee's position before the
  completion of an investigation into the alleged misconduct. 
         SECTION 2.  Section 22.095, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 22.095.  INTERNET PORTAL AND TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE
  NUMBER.  (a) The agency shall develop and maintain an Internet
  portal through which:
               (1)  a person may confidentially and securely submit a
  report of misconduct engaged in by an employee of a school district,
  district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school, other
  charter entity, regional education service center, or shared
  services arrangement, including a report required under Section
  22.093(f) [may be confidentially and securely filed]; and
               (2)  the agency makes available:
                     (A)  the registry of persons who are not eligible
  to be employed in public schools as described by Section 22.092; and
                     (B)  information indicating that a person is under
  investigation for alleged misconduct in accordance with Section
  22.094(d), provided that the agency must provide the information
  through a procedure other than the registry described under
  Paragraph (A).
         (b)  The agency shall provide a toll-free telephone number at
  which a person may submit a report described by Subsection (a)(1)
  confidentially and securely.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter C-1, Chapter 22, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 22.097, 22.098, and 22.099 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 22.097.  CONCEALMENT OF MISCONDUCT. Notwithstanding
  any other law, if the board of trustees of a school district or the
  governing body of an open-enrollment charter school determines that
  a superintendent, principal, or other district or school employee
  has intentionally or knowingly concealed or delayed the reporting
  of the misconduct of another employee that involves a student, the
  board or governing body shall immediately terminate the employment
  of that superintendent, principal, or other employee. 
         Sec. 22.098.  NOTICE TO PARENT. As soon as practicable after
  receiving a complaint alleging the misconduct of an employee
  involving a student but not later than the seventh day after the
  date on which the complaint was received, a school district,
  district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school, other
  charter entity, regional education service center, or shared
  services arrangement shall notify the parents of or persons
  standing in parental relation to each student who regularly
  interacts with the employee of the existence and nature of the
  complaint. 
         Sec. 22.099.  STUDY ON EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT REPORTING
  SYSTEMS. (a)  The agency shall conduct a study on the registry of
  persons not eligible for employment in public schools under Section
  22.092 and other provisions of this subchapter relating to the
  reporting of employee misconduct. In conducting the study, the
  agency shall:
               (1)  analyze reports of employee misconduct made in
  school districts, districts of innovation, open-enrollment charter
  schools, other charter entities, regional education service
  centers, and shared services arrangements throughout this state and
  determine for each report: 
                     (A)  the person who originally reported the
  misconduct;
                     (B)  the person to whom the misconduct was
  originally reported; 
                     (C)  the process by which the report was
  investigated; 
                     (D)  the results of the investigation; 
                     (E)  any employment repercussions initiated due
  to the reported misconduct; 
                     (F)  whether the employee was eligible for
  inclusion in the registry under Section 22.092 as a result of the
  reported misconduct; and 
                     (G)  whether the employee was included in the
  registry under Section 22.092;
               (2)  develop recommendations for improving reporting
  systems and investigative processes on the statewide level and for
  amending any required deadlines, definitions, penalties, or
  restrictions in employee misconduct reporting systems developed
  and maintained by specific school districts, districts of
  innovation, open-enrollment charter schools, other charter
  entities, regional education service centers, and shared services
  arrangements; and
               (3)  investigate the feasibility of developing and
  maintaining a public database through the Internet portal
  maintained under Section 22.095 of employees accused of misconduct,
  including the names and photographs of each employee accused, and,
  if feasible, implement such a database.
         (b)  Not later than December 1, 2025, the agency shall
  prepare and submit to the legislature a report on the results of the
  study and any recommendations for legislative or other action.
         (c)  This section expires September 1, 2026.
         SECTION 4.  This Act applies beginning with the 2024-2025
  school year.
         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 on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.