By: Deshotel, Eissler, et al. H.B. No. 3076
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a parenting and paternity awareness program used in the
health curriculum for public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (p) and adding Subsections (p-2), (p-3), and
(p-4) to read as follows:
(p) The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the
office of the attorney general, shall develop a parenting and
paternity awareness program that a school district shall use in the
district's high school health curriculum. A school district may
use the program developed under this subsection in the district's
middle or junior high school curriculum. At the discretion of the
district, a teacher may modify the suggested sequence and pace of
the program at any grade level. The program must:
(1) address parenting skills and responsibilities,
including child support and other legal rights and responsibilities
that come with parenthood;
(2) address relationship skills, including money
management, communication skills, and marriage preparation; and
(3) in district middle, junior high, or high schools
that do not have a family violence prevention program, address
skills relating to the prevention of family violence.
(p-2) A school district may develop or adopt research-based
programs and curriculum materials for use in conjunction with the
program developed under Subsection (p). The programs and
curriculum materials may provide instruction in:
(1) child development;
(2) parenting skills, including child abuse and
neglect prevention; and
(3) assertiveness skills to prevent teenage
pregnancy, abusive relationships, and family violence.
(p-3) The agency shall evaluate programs and curriculum
materials developed under Subsection (p-2) and distribute to other
school districts information regarding those programs and
materials.
(p-4) A student under 14 years of age may not participate in
a program developed under Subsection (p) without the permission of
the student's parent or person standing in parental relation to the
student.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010
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, 2009.