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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a school district's library collection development |
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policies; authorizing a civil penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 33.021, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.021. LIBRARY STANDARDS; CIVIL PENALTY. |
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SECTION 2. Section 33.021, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) Not later than the 30th day after the date a school |
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district is notified that a library material found in a school |
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library, classroom library, or online catalog does not adhere to |
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the standards adopted under Subsection (c), the district shall |
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remove the material. A superintendent of a school district that |
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does not remove a library material as required by this subsection is |
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liable to the state for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed |
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$10,000 for each violation. A person commits a separate violation |
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for each library material that is not removed in violation of this |
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subsection except multiple copies of the same library material do |
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not constitute separate violations. The attorney general may |
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investigate any alleged violation of this section and may bring an |
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action to recover the civil penalty described by this subsection. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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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, 2025. |