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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring a school district to employ a social worker to |
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assist district security personnel and oversee the district's |
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threat assessment and safe and supportive school teams. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 37, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 37.08135 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 37.08135. SOCIAL WORKER REQUIRED. The board of |
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trustees of each school district shall employ one or more social |
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workers licensed under Chapter 505, Occupations Code, to work with |
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the district's peace officers, school resource officers, or other |
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security personnel to: |
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(1) identify and address underlying student behaviors |
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related to social, emotional, behavioral, mental, or substance |
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abuse issues; |
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(2) assist with emergency situations at the district; |
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and |
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(3) provide wrap-around services, case management, |
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and ongoing support to students enrolled at the district and the |
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students' families. |
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SECTION 2. Section 37.115(e), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) The superintendent of a school district shall assign to |
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a social worker employed by the district under Section 37.08135 |
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[may establish a committee, or assign to an existing committee |
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established by the district,] the duty to oversee the operations of |
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teams established for the district. The superintendent may |
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establish a committee, or assign to an existing committee |
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established by the district, the duty to assist a social worker with |
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oversight responsibility under this subsection. A committee [with |
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oversight responsibility] under this subsection must include |
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members with expertise in human resources, education, special |
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education, counseling, behavior management, school administration, |
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mental health and substance use, school safety and security, |
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emergency management, and law enforcement. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |