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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the reporting of certain public school employee |
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misconduct to local law enforcement. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.006, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-3) and amending Subsections (i) and (j) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b-3) The superintendent or director of a school district, |
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district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school, other |
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charter entity, regional education service center, or shared |
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services arrangement shall notify the police department of the |
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municipality in which the entity is located or, if the entity is not |
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in a municipality, the sheriff of the county in which the entity is |
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located not later than 48 hours after the date the superintendent or |
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director becomes aware that an educator is alleged to have engaged |
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in misconduct described by Subsection (b)(2)(A) or (A-1). |
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(i) If an educator serving as a superintendent or director |
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is required to provide notice under Subsection (b-3) or file a |
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report under Subsection (c) and fails to provide notice or file the |
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report by the date required by the applicable [that] subsection, or |
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if an educator serving as a principal is required to notify a |
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superintendent or director about an educator's criminal record or |
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alleged incident of misconduct under Subsection (b-2) and fails to |
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provide the notice by the date required by that subsection, the |
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State Board for Educator Certification may impose on the educator |
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an administrative penalty of not less than $500 and not more than |
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$10,000. The State Board for Educator Certification may not renew |
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the certification of an educator against whom an administrative |
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penalty is imposed under this subsection until the penalty is paid. |
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(j) A superintendent or director required to provide notice |
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under Subsection (b-3) or file a report under Subsection (c) |
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commits an offense if the superintendent or director fails to |
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provide notice or file the report by the date required by the |
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applicable [that] subsection with intent to conceal an educator's |
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criminal record or alleged incident of misconduct. A principal |
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required to notify a superintendent or director about an educator's |
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criminal record or alleged incident of misconduct under Subsection |
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(b-2) commits an offense if the principal fails to provide the |
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notice by the date required by that subsection with intent to |
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conceal an educator's criminal record or alleged incident of |
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misconduct. An offense under this subsection is a state jail |
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felony. |
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SECTION 2. Section 22.093, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsections (i) and (k) to |
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read as follows: |
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(c-1) The superintendent or director of a school district, |
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district of innovation, open-enrollment charter school, other |
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charter entity, regional education service center, or shared |
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services arrangement shall notify the police department of the |
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municipality in which the entity is located or, if the entity is not |
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in a municipality, the sheriff of the county in which the entity is |
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located not later than 48 hours after the date the superintendent or |
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director becomes aware that an educator is alleged to have engaged |
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in misconduct described by Subsection (c)(1)(A) or (B). |
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(i) The commissioner shall refer an educator who fails to |
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provide notice under Subsection (c-1) or file a report in violation |
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of Subsection (f) to the State Board for Educator Certification, |
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and the board shall determine whether to impose sanctions against |
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the educator. |
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(k) A superintendent or director required to provide notice |
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under Subsection (c-1) or file a report under Subsection (f) |
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commits an offense if the superintendent or director fails to |
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provide notice or file the report by the date required by the |
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applicable [that] subsection with intent to conceal an employee's |
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criminal record or alleged incident of misconduct. A principal |
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required to notify a superintendent or director about an employee's |
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alleged incident of misconduct under Subsection (e) commits an |
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offense if the principal fails to provide the notice by the date |
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required by that subsection with intent to conceal an employee's |
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alleged incident of misconduct. An offense under this subsection |
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is a state jail felony. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |