| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to an elective course on community safety and firearm |
|
|
safety for certain public high school students. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 28.0121 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 28.0121. ELECTIVE COURSE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY AND |
|
|
FIREARM SAFETY. (a) A school district or open-enrollment charter |
|
|
school may offer to students in grade 12 an elective course on |
|
|
community safety and firearm safety that meets the requirements for |
|
|
an elective credit under Section 28.025. |
|
|
(b) A course under this section must include: |
|
|
(1) during the first half of the course for which a |
|
|
student may earn one-half elective credit, instruction relating to: |
|
|
(A) family violence prevention, including |
|
|
relevant family violence education; |
|
|
(B) sexual assault prevention, including |
|
|
relevant sexual assault education; and |
|
|
(C) self-defense tactics; and |
|
|
(2) during the second half of the course for which a |
|
|
student may earn one-half elective credit: |
|
|
(A) instruction relating to firearm safety, |
|
|
including relevant firearm education; |
|
|
(B) information on state and federal laws |
|
|
governing the use of firearms; and |
|
|
(C) information contained in the classroom |
|
|
instruction portion of the handgun proficiency course described by |
|
|
Section 411.188, Government Code. |
|
|
(c) A student may not enroll in the second half of a course |
|
|
under this section unless the student has satisfactorily completed |
|
|
the first half of the course. |
|
|
(d) If during the course of instruction, a student enrolled |
|
|
in a course under this section discloses to a teacher that the |
|
|
student has been a victim of or is experiencing issues relating to |
|
|
family violence or sexual assault, the teacher shall provide the |
|
|
student with information regarding appropriately licensed health |
|
|
professionals. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2026-2027 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 3. 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, 2025. |