Bill Text: TX HB2997 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to suicide prevention training for certain public school employees and public school mental health related programs and the applicability of related immunity provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-29 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB2997 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB2997-Comm_Sub.html
86R21944 SOS-D | |||
By: Talarico, Thierry, Bernal, Hinojosa | H.B. No. 2997 | ||
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2997:. No. 2997:. No. 2997: | |||
By: González of El Paso | C.S.H.B. No. 2997 |
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relating to suicide prevention training for certain public school | ||
employees and public school mental health related programs and the | ||
applicability of related immunity provisions. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 21.451(d), Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(d) The staff development: | ||
(1) may include training in: | ||
(A) technology; | ||
(B) conflict resolution; | ||
(C) discipline strategies, including classroom | ||
management, district discipline policies, and the student code of | ||
conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37; | ||
(D) preventing, identifying, responding to, and | ||
reporting incidents of bullying; and | ||
(E) digital learning; | ||
(2) subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541 | ||
and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is | ||
evidence-based, as defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds | ||
Act (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that: | ||
(A) relates to instruction of students with | ||
disabilities; and | ||
(B) is designed for educators who work primarily | ||
outside the area of special education; and | ||
(3) must include suicide prevention training that must | ||
be provided in accordance with Section 161.325, Health and Safety | ||
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SECTION 2. Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended by amending Subsections (a), (c-1), (c-2), and (d) and | ||
adding Subsection (c-3) to read as follows: | ||
(a) The department, in coordination with the Texas | ||
Education Agency and regional education service centers, shall | ||
provide and annually update a list of recommended best | ||
practice-based programs and research-based practices in the areas | ||
specified under Subsection (a-1) for implementation in public | ||
elementary, junior high, middle, and high schools within the | ||
general education setting. Each school district or open-enrollment | ||
charter school may select from the list a program or programs | ||
appropriate for implementation in the district or school. | ||
(c-1) Each [ |
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school shall provide each year training described in the components | ||
set forth under Subsection (b) for an employee who regularly | ||
interacts with students enrolled in the district or school | ||
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open-enrollment charter school must [ |
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the list to satisfy the requirements of this subsection. | ||
(c-2) A [ |
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school employee described under Subsection (c-1) [ |
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must participate in the training described in the components set | ||
forth under Subsection (b) at regular intervals, not to exceed four | ||
years, as provided by a schedule adopted by commissioner of | ||
education rule. An employee may satisfy the training required | ||
through independent review of suicide prevention training material | ||
that: | ||
(1) complies with the guidelines developed by the | ||
Texas Education Agency; and | ||
(2) is offered online. | ||
(c-3) A [ |
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school shall maintain records that include the name of each | ||
district or school employee who participates [ |
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training under Subsection (c-1) or (c-2). | ||
(d) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may | ||
develop practices and procedures concerning each area listed in | ||
Subsection (a-1), including mental health promotion and | ||
intervention, substance abuse prevention and intervention, and | ||
suicide prevention, that: | ||
(1) include a procedure for providing notice of a | ||
recommendation for early mental health or substance abuse | ||
intervention regarding a student to a parent or guardian of the | ||
student within a reasonable amount of time after the identification | ||
of early warning signs as described by Subsection (b)(2); | ||
(2) include a procedure for providing notice of a | ||
student identified as at risk of death by suicide [ |
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amount of time after the identification of early warning signs as | ||
described by Subsection (b)(2); | ||
(3) establish that the district or school may develop | ||
a reporting mechanism and may designate at least one person to act | ||
as a liaison officer in the district or school for the purposes of | ||
identifying students in need of early mental health or substance | ||
abuse intervention or suicide prevention; and | ||
(4) set out available counseling alternatives for a | ||
parent or guardian to consider when their child is identified as | ||
possibly being in need of early mental health or substance abuse | ||
intervention or suicide prevention. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 161.326, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 161.326. IMMUNITY. This subchapter does not: | ||
(1) waive any immunity from liability of a school | ||
district or open-enrollment charter school or of the district or | ||
school officers or employees; | ||
(2) create any liability for a cause of action against | ||
a school district or open-enrollment charter school or against the | ||
district or school officers or employees; or | ||
(3) waive any immunity from liability under Section | ||
74.151, Civil Practice and Remedies Code. | ||
SECTION 4. Sections 21.451(d-1) and (d-2), Education Code, | ||
are repealed. | ||
SECTION 5. 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. |