BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.H.B. 3
88R29568 JES-F	By: Burrows et al. (Nichols)
	Education
	5/12/2023
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Public schools in Texas have unfortunately seen violence due to poor safety procedures, lack of communication among agencies responsible for emergency response, and outdated or unenforced emergency operation standards. H.B. 3 seeks to provide schools in Texas with a new standard of emergency preparedness and response while also ensuring adequate state funding is provided to school districts through the school safety allotment to ensure that schools are able to be defended and new emergency operation standards can be implemented. The bill also provides for routine school safety audits to ensure that the updated standards are being followed and schools are better prepared for any future emergency events.

(Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

C.S.H.B. 3 amends current law relating to measures for ensuring public school safety, including the development of, implementation of, and funding for public school safety and security requirements and the provision of safety-related resources.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board for Education Certification in SECTION 4 (Section 22.904, Education Code) of this bill.

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 4 (Section 22.904, Education Code) and SECTION 12 (Section 37.1083, Education Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 7.028(a), Education Code, to create an exception under Sections 37.1083 and 37.1084.

SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 8, Education Code, by adding Section 8.064, as follows:

Sec. 8.064. SCHOOL SAFETY SUPPORT. (a) Requires a regional education service center (service center) to act as a school safety resource for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in the region served by the service center. Authorizes the service center to assist a school district or open-enrollment charter school directly or in collaboration with the Texas School Safety Center (center) and local law enforcement agencies, as applicable:

(1) in developing and implementing a multihazard emergency operations plan (plan) under Section 37.108 (Multihazard Emergency Operations Plan; Safety and Security Audit);

(2) in establishing a school safety and security committee under Section 37.109 (School Safety and Security Committee);

(3) in conducting emergency school drills and exercises;

(4) in addressing deficiencies in campus security identified by a school safety review team (team) under Section 37.1084; and

(5) by providing guidance on any other matter relating to school safety and security.

(b) Requires a service center to provide assistance as necessary to the region's school safety review team established under Section 37.1084.

SECTION 3. Reenacts Section 12.104(b), Education Code, as amended by Chapters 542 (S.B. 168), 887 (S.B. 1697), 915 (H.B. 3607), 974 (S.B. 2081), and 1046 (S.B. 1365), Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, and amends it, as follows:

(b) Provides that an open-enrollment charter school is subject to certain conditions, including a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as applicable, imposed by Title 2 (Public Education) or a rule adopted under this title, relating to certain information, including school safety requirements under certain statutes, including Sections 37.1083, 37.1084, and 37.1085. Makes a nonsubstantive change.

SECTION 4. Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 22, Education Code, by adding Section 22.904, as follows:

Sec. 22.904. MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. (a) Requires a school district, except as otherwise provided by this section, to require each district employee who regularly interacts with students enrolled at the district to complete an evidence-based mental health first aid training program designed to provide instruction to participants regarding the recognition and support of children and youth who experience a mental health or substance use issue that may pose a threat to school safety.

(b) Prohibits a school district from requiring a district employee who has previously completed mental health first aid training offered� by a local mental health authority under Section 1001.203 (Grants for Training Certain University Employees, School District Employees, and School Resource Officers in Mental Health First Aid), Health and Safety Code, to complete the training required by this section.

(c) Requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to provide an allotment to each school district equal to the sum of the amount district employees spent on travel and training fees and the product of each employee's hourly salary multiplied by the number of hours that employee spent completing the training in accordance with commissioner of education (commissioner) rule to comply with this section. Requires that an allotment provided to a district under this section be used to reimburse the employee for the cost of travel and training fees and to compensate the employee for the time spent completing the training required by this section.

(d) Requires the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to propose rules allowing an educator to receive credit toward the educator's continuing education requirements under Section 21.054(g) (relating to requiring SBEC to adopt certain rules) for the educator's participation in mental health first aid training under this section.

(e) Requires the commissioner to adopt rules to implement this section, including rules specifying the training fees and travel expenses subject to reimbursement under Subsection (c).

SECTION 5. Amends Section 25.002(a), Education Code, as follows:

(a) Requires a parent or other person with legal control of a child under a court order or the school district in which the child most recently attended school, if the parent or other person enrolls the child in a public school, to furnish to the school district certain documents, including a copy of the child's records from the school the child most recently attended if the child has been previously enrolled in a school in this state or another state, including for a child who most recently attended a public school in this state, a copy of the child's disciplinary record and any threat assessment involving the child's behavior conducted under Section 37.115 (Threat Assessment and Safe and Supportive School Program and Team).

SECTION 6. Amends Section 25.036, Education Code, by adding Subsection (c), as follows:

(c) Requires a child's school district of residence, in the case of a transfer under Section 25.036 (Transfer of Student), to provide the receiving district with the child's disciplinary record and any threat assessment involving the child's behavior conducted under Section 37.115.

SECTION 7. Amends Section 37.081, Education Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1), (a-2), (a-3), and (a-4), as follows:

(a) Authorizes the board of trustees of any school district to:

(1) employ or contract with security personnel;

(2) enter into a memorandum of understanding with a local law enforcement agency or a county or municipality that is the employing political subdivision of commissioned peace officers for the provision of school resource officers;

(3) for the purposes of providing security personnel, contract with a security services contractor licensed under Chapter 1702 (Private Security), Occupations Code, for the provision of a commissioned security officer, as defined by Section 1702.002 (Definitions), Occupations Code, who has completed the Level II or Level III training course required by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS);

(4) creates this subdivision from existing text.

(a-1) Creates this subsection from existing text. Deletes existing text requiring a person employed as security personnel, if a board of trustees authorizes the person to carry a weapon, to be a commissioned peace officer. Makes a conforming change.

(a-2) Requires that a memorandum of understanding for the provision of school resource officers entered into under Subsection (a):

(1) be in the form of an interlocal contract under Chapter 791 (Interlocal Cooperation Contracts), Government Code; and

(2) use a proportionate cost allocation methodology to address any costs or fees incurred by the school district or the local law enforcement agency, county, or municipality, as applicable.

(a-3) Provides that the cost allocation methodology used under Subsection (a-2)(2) is authorized to allow a local law enforcement agency, county, or municipality, as applicable, to recoup direct costs incurred as a result of the contract but is prohibited from allowing TEA, the county, or municipality to profit under the contract.

(a-4) Authorizes a school district, local law enforcement agency, county, or municipality that enters into a memorandum of understanding under Subsection (a) to seek funding from federal, state, and private sources to support the cost of providing school resource officers under Section 37.081 (School District Peace Officers, School Resource Officers, and Security Personnel).

SECTION 8. Amends Section 37.0812, Education Code, to require a school district peace officer or school resource officer to complete an active shooter response training program approved by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement at least once in each four-year period.

SECTION 9. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 37, Education Code, by adding Section 37.089, as follows:

Sec. 37.089. ROLE OF PERSONS CARRYING A FIREARM ON SCHOOL GROUNDS. (a) Prohibits a person permitted to carry a firearm on the campus of a school district, subject to Subsection (b), from performing the routine law enforcement duties of a peace officer including making arrests, unless the duty is performed in response to an emergency that poses a threat of death or serious bodily injury to a student, school district employee, or other individual at the district campus.

(b) Provides that Subsection (a) does not apply to a commissioned peace officer who is assigned law enforcement duties that are included in campus and district documents describing the role of peace officers in the district as required by Section 37.081(d) (relating to requiring the board of trustees of a school district to determine the law enforcement duties of certain persons).

SECTION 10. Amends� Section 37.108, Education Code, by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (f) and adding Subsection (h), as follows:

(a) Requires that the plan address prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery as defined by the center in conjunction with the governor's office of homeland security, the commissioner, and the commissioner of higher education, rather than the governor's office of homeland security and the commissioner or commissioner of higher education as applicable. Requires that the plan make certain provisions, including for any other requirements established by the center in consultation with TEA. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(b) Requires a district, rather than requires a district to the extent possible, to follow safety and security audit procedures developed by the center in coordination with the commissioner or commissioner of higher education, as applicable, or a person included in the registry established by the center under Section 37.2091 (Registry of Persons Providing School Safety or Security Consulting Services).

(f) Requires a school district to include in its plan certain provisions, including certification that the district is in compliance with Section 37.116, requiring the district to provide DPS, local law enforcement agencies, and emergency first responders with an accurate map for all district campuses and school buildings.

(h) Requires the center and TEA to provide school safety-related data collected by the center or TEA to each other on request.

SECTION 11. Amends Section 37.1081(a), Education Code, as follows:

(a) Requires the board of trustees of a school district, if the board receives notice of noncompliance under certain statutes, including Section 37.2071(d), to hold a public hearing to notify the public of certain information. Makes a nonsubstantive change.

SECTION 12. Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 37, Education Code, by adding Sections 37.1083, 37.1084, 37.1085, and 37.1131, as follows:

Sec. 37.1083. AGENCY MONITORING OF SCHOOL DISTRICT SAFETY AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS. (a) Requires TEA to monitor the implementation and operation of requirements related to school district safety and security, including school district plans and safety and security audits.

(b) Requires TEA to establish an office of school safety and security (office) within TEA that consists of individuals with substantial expertise and experience in school or law enforcement safety and security operations and oversight at the local, state, or federal level to coordinate TEA's monitoring of school district safety and security requirements under this section. Provides that the director of the office is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate, and is required to report directly to the commissioner.

(c) Requires TEA, in coordination with the center, to provide technical assistance to school districts to support the implementation and operation of safety and security requirements.

(d) Requires TEA, as part of the technical assistance provided under Subsection (c), to conduct a detailed vulnerability assessment of each school district on a random basis determined by TEA once every four years. Requires that the assessment:

(1) assess facility access controls, emergency operations procedures, and other school safety requirements; and

(2) to the greatest extent practicable, coincide with the safety and security audit required under Section 37.108.

(e) Requires TEA to use a rubric developed by the office in collaboration with the center to conduct a vulnerability assessment of a school district under Subsection (d).

(f) Requires TEA, on completion of a vulnerability assessment under Subsection (d), to provide to the superintendent and school safety and security committee established under Section 37.109 for the applicable school district a report on the results of the assessment that includes recommendations and required corrective actions to address any deficiencies in campus security identified by TEA.

(g) Authorizes TEA to engage a third party as necessary to enable TEA to monitor the implementation and operation of the school district safety and security requirements under this section.

(h) Authorizes TEA to require a school district to submit information necessary for TEA to monitor the implementation and operation of school district safety and security requirements under this section, including:

(1) notice of an event requiring a district's emergency response including the discovery of a firearm on a campus; and

(2) information regarding the district's response and use of emergency operations procedures during an event described by Subdivision (1).

(i) Authorizes TEA to review school district records as necessary to ensure compliance with Subchapter D (Protection of Buildings and Grounds) and Subchapter G (Texas School Safety Center).

(j) Provides that any document or information collected, identified, developed, or produced relating to the monitoring of school district safety and security requirements under this section is confidential under Sections 418.177 (Confidentiality of Certain Information Relating to Risk or Vulnerability Assessment) and 418.181 (Confidentiality of Certain Information Relating to Critical Infrastructure), Government Code, and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552 (Public Information), Government Code.

(k) Authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules as necessary to administer this section.

Sec. 37.1084. REGIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY REVIEW TEAMS. (a) Defines "office" and "team."

(b) Requires the office to establish a team in each region served by a service center. Requires a team to annually conduct on-site general intruder detection audits of school district campuses in the team's region. Requires a team, in conducting an intruder detection audit, to:

(1) use a rubric developed by the office in consultation with the center;

(2) not later than the seventh day before the date of a scheduled audit, notify the superintendent of the school district in which the campus being audited is located; and

(3) on completion of the audit, provide to the superintendent and school safety and security committee established under Section 37.109 for the school district in which the campus is located a report on the results of the audit that includes recommendations and required corrective actions to address any deficiencies in campus security identified by the team.

(c) Requires a service center to provide support as necessary to assist the region's team in conducting intruder detection audits under this section.

(d) Provides that a report produced by a team under this section is confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.

Sec. 37.1085. ASSIGNMENT OF CONSERVATOR FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS. (a) Authorizes the commissioner to assign a conservator under Chapter 39A (Accountability Interventions and Sanctions) if a school district fails to:

(1) submit to any required monitoring, assessment, or audit under Section 37.1083 or 37.1084;

(2) comply with applicable safety and security requirements; or

(3) address in a reasonable time period, as determined by commissioner rule, issues raised by TEA's monitoring of the district under Section 37.1083 or 37.1084.

(b) Authorizes a conservator assigned to a district under this section to exercise the powers and duties of a conservator under Section 39A.003 (Powers and Duties of Conservator or Management Team) only to correct a failure identified under Subsection (a).

Sec. 37.1131. NOTIFICATION REGARDING VIOLENT ACTIVITY. Requires TEA to develop model standards for providing notice regarding violent activity that has occurred or is being investigated at a school district campus or other district facility or at a district-sponsored activity to parents, guardians, and other persons standing in parental relation to students who are assigned to the campus, regularly use the facility, or are attending the activity, as applicable. Requires that the standards:

(1) include electronic notification through text messaging and e-mail;

(2) provide an option for real-time notification; and

(3) protect student privacy.

(b) Requires each school district to adopt a policy for providing notice described by Subsection (a) in a manner that meets the standards adopted under that subsection.

SECTION 13. Amends Section 37.115, Education Code, by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (j-1), as follows:

(c) Requires that the policies and procedures adopted under this section meet certain criteria, including requiring each district campus to establish a clear procedure for a student to report concerning behavior exhibited by another student for assessment by the team or other appropriate school employee.

(j-1) Requires that materials and information provided to or produced by a team during a threat assessment of a student under this section be maintained in the student's school record until the student's 24th birthday.

SECTION 14. Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 37, Education Code, by adding Section 37.116, as follows:

Sec. 37.116. EMERGENCY RESPONSE MAP. Requires each school district and open-enrollment charter school to provide to DPS and all appropriate law enforcement agencies and emergency first responders an accurate map of each district campus and school building.

SECTION 15. Amends Sections 37.2071(b), (c), (d), (f), (g), and (h), Education Code, as follows:

(b) Requires a school district or public junior college district to submit its plan to the center:

(1) not later than the 30th day after the date the center requests the submission, rather than on the request of the center; and

(2) creates this subdivision from existing text.

(1) makes no changes to this subdivision; or

(2) provide the district with written notice, including specific recommendations to correct the deficiencies.

Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(d) Requires the center, if a district fails to submit its plan to the center for review following a notification by the center that the district has failed to submit the district's plan, to provide the district with written notice stating that the district is required to hold a public hearing under Section 37.1081 (Public Hearing on Multihazard Emergency Operations Plan Noncompliance). Deletes existing text requiring the center, if a district fails to submit its plan to the center for review, to provide the district with written notice stating that the district has failed to submit a plan and is required to submit a plan to the center for review and verification.

(f) Requires the center, if one month after the date of initial notification of a plan's deficiencies under Subsection (c)(2) a district has not corrected the plan deficiencies, rather than if three months after the date of initial notification of a plan's deficiencies under Subsection (c)(2) or failure to submit a plan under Subsection (d) a district has not corrected the plan deficiencies or has failed to submit a plan, to provide written notice to the district and TEA that the district has not complied with the requirements of this section and is required to comply immediately.

(g) Requires the center, if a school district still has not corrected the plan deficiencies three months after the date of initial notification under Subsection (c)(2), rather than if a school district still has not corrected the plan deficiencies or has failed to submit a plan six months after the date of initial notification under Subsection (c)(2) or (d), to provide written notice to the school district stating that the district is required to hold a public hearing under Section 37.1081.

(h) Requires that the notice required by Subsection (d), rather than Subsection (g), if a school district has failed to submit a plan, state that the commissioner is authorized to appoint a conservator under Section 37.1082.

SECTION 16. Amends Section 37.2091, Education Code, by adding Subsection (b-1), as follows:

(b-1) Requires a school district to confirm that a person is included in the registry established under Subsection (b) (relating to requiring the center to establish a registry of persons providing school safety or security consulting services in this state) before the district is authorized to engage the person to provide school safety or security consulting services to the district.

SECTION 17. Amends Subchapter G, Chapter 37, Education Code, by adding Sections 37.221 and 37.222, as follows:

Sec. 37.221. FACILITIES STANDARDS REVIEW. (a) Requires the center, at least once every five years, to review the building standards for instructional facilities adopted under Section 7.061 and make recommendations to the commissioner regarding any changes necessary to ensure that the building standards reflect best practices for student safety.

(b) Requires the commissioner to coordinate with municipalities and counties as necessary to align building code requirements with building standards recommended under Subsection (a) for purposes of ensuring compliance with those standards.

Sec. 37.222. RESOURCES ON SAFE FIREARM STORAGE. (a) Requires the center, in collaboration with DPS, to provide to each school district and open-enrollment charter school information and other resources regarding the safe storage of firearms for distribution by the district or school under Subsection (b), including information on:

(1) the offense under Section 46.13 (Making a Firearm Accessible to a Child), Penal Code; and

(2) ways in which parents and guardians can effectively prevent children from accessing firearms.

(b) Requires each school district and open-enrollment charter school to provide the information and other resources described under Subsection (a) to the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in the district or school.

SECTION 18. Amends Section 38.022, Education Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:

(a) Authorizes a school district to require a person who enters property under the district's control, rather than a person who enters a district campus, to display certain documents, including, if applicable, the person's district employee or student identification card. Requires the person to provide the identification on request. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(a-1) Authorizes a school district to eject a person from district property if:

(1) the person refuses or fails to provide on request identification described by Subsection (a); and

(2) it reasonably appears that the person has no legitimate reason to be on district property.

SECTION 19. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 45, Education Code, by adding Section 45.1011, as follows:

Sec. 45.1011. USE OF BOND PROCEEDS FOR SCHOOL SAFETY COMPLIANCE.� (a) Authorizes the proceeds of bonds issued by school districts for the construction and equipment of school buildings in the district and the purchase of the necessary sites for school buildings to be used to pay the costs associated with complying with school safety and security requirements for school facilities.

(b) Provides that this subsection applies to a school district that is determined by TEA, through TEA's monitoring of safety and security requirements under Section 37.1084, to not be in compliance with those requirements. Requires a school district to which this subsection applies, notwithstanding any other law, to use the proceeds of bonds described by Subsection (a) to achieve compliance with applicable safety and security requirements before the district is authorized to use those proceeds for any other authorized purpose.

SECTION 20. Amends Section 48.115, Education Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (a-1), (b-1), (c-1), and (e), as follows:

(a) Entitles a school district, except as provided by Subsection (a-1), to an annual allotment equal to the sum of the following amounts or a greater amount provided by appropriation:

(1) $10 for each student in average daily attendance, plus $1 for each student in average daily attendance per every $50 by which the district's maximum basic allotment under Section 48.051 (Basic Allotment) exceeds $6,160, prorated as necessary; and

(2) $15,000 per campus.

Deletes existing text requiring the commissioner, from funds appropriated for that purpose, to provide to a school district an annual allotment in the amount provided by appropriation.

(a-1) Provides that a school district campus that provides only virtual instruction or utilizes only facilities not subject to the district's control is not included for purposes of determining a school district's allotment under Subsection (a).

(b) Requires that funds allocated under Section 48.115 (School Safety Allotment) be used to improve school safety and security, including costs associated with:

(1)-(2) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(3) certain school safety and security measures, rather than school safety and security training and planning;

(4) makes a nonsubstantive change to this subdivision; and

(5) employing a school safety director and other personnel to manage and monitor school safety initiatives and the implementation of school safety requirements for the district.

Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(b-1) Authorizes TEA to designate certain technologies that a school district, in using funds allocated under this section, is authorized to purchase only from a vendor approved by TEA.

(c-1) Requires TEA, or if designated by TEA, the center, to establish and publish a directory of approved vendors of school safety technology and equipment a school district is authorized to select from when using funds allocated under this section. Requires a school district, if the district uses funds allocated under this section to purchase technology or equipment from a vendor that is not included in the directory, to solicit bids from at least three vendors before completing the purchase.

(e) Authorizes a school district, notwithstanding any other law, to use funds allocated under this section to provide training to a person authorized by the district to carry a firearm on a district campus.

SECTION 21. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 85, Local Government Code, by adding Section 85.024, as follows:

Sec. 85.024. SCHOOL SAFETY MEETINGS. (a) Requires the sheriff of a county with a total population of less than 350,000 in which a public school is located to call and conduct semiannual meetings to discuss:

(1) school safety;

(2) coordinated law enforcement response to school violence incidents;

(3) law enforcement agency capabilities;

(4) available resources;

(5) emergency radio interoperability;

(6) chain of command planning; and

(7) other related subjects proposed by a person in attendance at the meeting.

(b) Provides that the sheriff of a county to which this section applies in which more than public school is located is only required to hold one semiannual meeting described by Subsection (a). Provides that this subsection does not require public schools located within the same county to adopt the same school safety policies.

(1) the sheriff or the sheriff's designee;

(2) the police chief of a municipal police department in the county or the police chief's designee;

(3) each elected constable in the county or the constable's designees;

(4) each police chief of a school district's police department or school district security coordinator from each school district located in the county;

(5) a representative of DPS assigned to the county;

(6) a representative of each other state agency with commissioned peace officers assigned to the county;

(7) a person appointed to a command staff position at an emergency medical service in the county;

(8) a person appointed to a command staff position at a municipal emergency medical service in the county;

(9) a person appointed to a command staff position at a fire department in the county;

(10) the superintendent or the superintendent's designee of each school district located in the county;

(11) the person who serves the function of superintendent, or that person's designee, in each open-enrollment charter school located in the county; and

(12) any other person the sheriff considers appropriate.

(d) Requires the sheriff to invite any federal law enforcement official serving in the county to attend the meeting.

(e) Requires the sheriff, as soon as practicable after a meeting under Subsection (a), to submit a report to the center identifying the attendees of the meeting and the subjects discussed. Requires the center to maintain the report and make it publicly available on the center's Internet website. Provides that the center is prohibited from making publicly available and is required to redact any parts of a report that the center determines may expose a safety vulnerability of a school district facility.

SECTION 22. (a) Requires TEA, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to establish the office and the governor to appoint the director of the office as required by Section 37.1083, Education Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Requires the office, as soon as practicable after the office has been established, to establish teams in each region served by a service center as required by Section 37.1084, Education Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 23. Makes application of Section 45.1011, Education Code, as added by this Act, prospective.

SECTION 24. Provides that this Act, to the extent of any conflict, prevails over another Act of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 25. (a) Provides that Section 7.028 and Chapter 37, Education Code, as amended by this Act, apply beginning with the 2023�2024 school year.

(b) Requires a school district, notwithstanding Section 22.904, Education Code, as added by this Act, to require the district's employees to complete the mental health first aid training required under that section as follows:

(1) at least 25 percent of the applicable district employees before the beginning of the 2025�2026 school year;

(2) at least 50 percent of the applicable district employees before the beginning of the 2026�2027 school year;

(3) at least 75 percent of the applicable district employees before the beginning of the 2027�2028 school year; and

(4) 100 percent of the applicable district employees before the beginning of the 2028�2029 school year;

SECTION 26. (a) Effective date, except as provided by Subsection (b) of this section: upon passage or September 1, 2023.

(b) Effective date, Section 48.115, Education Code, as amended by this Act: September 1, 2023.