Bill Text: TX HB2022 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a public school student's right not to participate in or observe animal research.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-05 - Referred to Public Education [HB2022 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB2022-Introduced.html
86R10393 MP-F | ||
By: Meza | H.B. No. 2022 |
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relating to a public school student's right not to participate in or | ||
observe animal research. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 25, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 25.904 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 25.904. STUDENT RIGHTS REGARDING ANIMAL RESEARCH. (a) | ||
In this section, "animal research" means any instruction that | ||
involves the use of a deceased animal or harm to a living animal, | ||
including dissection, vivisection, incubation, capture, surgery, | ||
or any other procedure that is invasive or may result in the | ||
animal's death. | ||
(b) A school district shall adopt a policy allowing students | ||
enrolled in the district to elect not to participate in or observe | ||
all or any part of animal research required or offered as part of | ||
any course. The policy must: | ||
(1) permit a student to make the election at any time; | ||
(2) prohibit penalizing or discriminating against a | ||
student in any manner for electing not to participate in or observe | ||
the research; and | ||
(3) require the teacher of a course in which animal | ||
research is required or offered to: | ||
(A) notify each student enrolled in the course | ||
regarding the research and the policy adopted under this | ||
subsection: | ||
(i) on the first instructional day of the | ||
course; and | ||
(ii) if the research will occur more than 21 | ||
days after the first instructional day of the course, not later than | ||
the 21st day before the date on which the research will occur; and | ||
(B) provide a student who elects not to | ||
participate in or observe the research an alternative assignment | ||
that: | ||
(i) does not involve harm to an animal; | ||
(ii) provides the student with the | ||
information the student is intended to learn from participating in | ||
or observing the research or, if the research is required as part of | ||
a test, assesses the student's knowledge of that information in an | ||
alternative manner; | ||
(iii) is substantially similar to the | ||
research in regard to the amount of time and effort necessary for | ||
completion; and | ||
(iv) uses a grading method comparable to | ||
the grading method used for the research. | ||
(c) An alternative assignment provided under Subsection | ||
(b)(3)(B) may involve the use of video recordings, models, books, | ||
photographs, simulations, live observations in the wild or in a | ||
zoo, or other tools that enable a student to learn about an animal's | ||
anatomy, physiology, or life cycle by a method other than animal | ||
research. | ||
(d) Before the beginning of each school year, a school | ||
district shall provide to each student enrolled in the district and | ||
each teacher who teaches a course in which animal research is | ||
required or offered written notice that includes: | ||
(1) information regarding the policy adopted under | ||
Subsection (b); and | ||
(2) a list of each course in which animal research is | ||
required or offered in that school year. | ||
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. |