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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to notice to local law enforcement of certain offenses |
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occurring on public or private school property or at |
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school-sponsored or school-related activities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 37.015, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The principal of a public or private primary or |
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secondary school, or a person designated by the principal under |
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Subsection (d), shall notify any school district police department |
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and the police department of the municipality in which the school is |
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located or, if the school is not in a municipality, the sheriff of |
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the county in which the school is located if the principal has |
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reasonable grounds to believe that any of the following activities |
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occur in school, on school property, or at a school-sponsored or |
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school-related activity on or off school property, whether or not |
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the activity is investigated by school security officers: |
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(1) conduct that may constitute an offense listed |
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under Section 508.149, Government Code; |
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(2) deadly conduct under Section 22.05, Penal Code; |
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(3) a terroristic threat under Section 22.07, Penal |
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Code; |
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(4) the use, sale, or possession of a controlled |
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substance, drug paraphernalia, or marihuana under Chapter 481, |
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Health and Safety Code; |
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(5) the possession of any of the weapons or devices |
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listed under Sections 46.01(1)-(14) or Section 46.01(16), Penal |
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Code; |
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(6) conduct that may constitute a criminal offense |
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under Section 71.02, Penal Code; [or] |
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(7) conduct that may constitute a criminal offense for |
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which a student may be expelled under Section 37.007(a), (d), or |
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(e); |
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(8) conduct that may constitute a criminal offense |
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under Section 20A.02, 20A.03, 21.02, 21.11, 21.15, 21.16, 21.165, |
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21.18, 21.19, 22.011, 22.021, 43.23, 43.24, 43.25, 43.26, or |
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43.262, Penal Code; or |
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(9) conduct that may constitute a felony of the first |
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degree under Section 22.04, Penal Code. |
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(c) Except as provided by Subsection (c-1), a [A] |
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notification is not required under Subsection (a) if the person |
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reasonably believes that the activity does not constitute a |
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criminal offense. |
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(c-1) As soon as practicable but not later than 72 hours |
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after becoming aware of conduct described by Subsection (a)(8) or |
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(9), the principal of a public or private primary or secondary |
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school shall provide the notice required by Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to conduct that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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Conduct that occurs before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the conduct occurred, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For the |
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purposes of this section, conduct occurs before the effective date |
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of this Act if any element of the conduct occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |