BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 163

By: Campbell

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law requires public school districts to notify parents of their right to opt their child into sexual education courses, but this requirement is set to expire August 1, 2024. S.B. 163 seeks to remove the expiration of the requirement that school districts obtain written consent from a student's parent before the student may be provided with human sexuality instruction.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 163 repeals Section 28.004(i-3), Education Code, which sets an expiration date of August 1, 2024, for the provision that does the following:

· requires a public school district to obtain the written consent of a student's parent before the student may be provided with human sexuality instruction;

· prohibits a request for such written consent from being included with any other notification or request for written consent provided to the parent, other than the annual notice of the district board's decision regarding whether the district will provide human sexuality instruction to district students; and

· requires such a request to be provided to the parent not later than the 14th day before the date on which the human sexuality instruction begins.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.