Bill Text: TX HB111 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to public school policy and training for public school employees addressing the prevention of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of certain children.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-31 - Effective immediately [HB111 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB111-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to public school policy and training for public school employees addressing the prevention of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of certain children.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-31 - Effective immediately [HB111 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB111-Comm_Sub.html
86R7997 MM-F | |||
By: González of El Paso, Meyer | H.B. No. 111 | ||
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 111: | |||
By: Bernal | C.S.H.B. No. 111 |
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relating to public school policy and training for public school | ||
employees addressing the prevention of sexual abuse, sex | ||
trafficking, and other maltreatment of certain children. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Sections 38.0041(a), (a-1), (b), and (c), | ||
Education Code, as amended by Chapter 762 (S.B. 2039), Acts of the | ||
85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, are reenacted and amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school | ||
shall adopt and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse, sex | ||
trafficking, and other maltreatment of children, to be included in | ||
the district improvement plan under Section 11.252 and any | ||
informational handbook provided to students and parents. | ||
(a-1) A school district may collaborate with local law | ||
enforcement and outside consultants with expertise in the | ||
prevention of sexual abuse and sex trafficking to create the policy | ||
required under Subsection (a), and to create a referral protocol | ||
for high-risk students. | ||
(b) A policy required by this section must address: | ||
(1) methods for increasing staff, student, and parent | ||
awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and | ||
other maltreatment of children, including prevention techniques | ||
and knowledge of likely warning signs indicating that a child may be | ||
a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment, | ||
using resources developed by the agency or the commissioner | ||
regarding those issues, including resources developed by the agency | ||
under Section 38.004 [ |
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(2) actions that a child who is a victim of sexual | ||
abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment should take to obtain | ||
assistance and intervention; and | ||
(3) available counseling options for students | ||
affected by sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment. | ||
(c) The methods under Subsection (b)(1) for increasing | ||
awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and | ||
other maltreatment of children must include training, as provided | ||
by this subsection, concerning prevention techniques for and | ||
recognition of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and all other | ||
maltreatment of children, including the sexual abuse, sex | ||
trafficking, and other maltreatment of children with significant | ||
cognitive disabilities. The training: | ||
(1) must be provided, as part of a new employee | ||
orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter | ||
school employees and to existing district and open-enrollment | ||
charter school employees on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule | ||
until all district and open-enrollment charter school employees | ||
have taken the training; and | ||
(2) must include training concerning: | ||
(A) factors indicating a child is at risk for | ||
sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment; | ||
(B) likely warning signs indicating a child may | ||
be a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other | ||
maltreatment; | ||
(C) internal procedures for seeking assistance | ||
for a child who is at risk for sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or | ||
other maltreatment, including referral to a school counselor, a | ||
social worker, or another mental health professional; | ||
(D) techniques for reducing a child's risk of | ||
sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment; and | ||
(E) community organizations that have relevant | ||
existing research-based programs that are able to provide training | ||
or other education for school district or open-enrollment charter | ||
school staff members, students, and parents. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 | ||
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, 2019. |