83R1130 PAM-D By: Allen H.B. No. 471 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to corporal punishment in public schools. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 37, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter Z to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER Z. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS RELATING TO DISCIPLINE Sec. 37.901. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. (a) In this section, "corporal punishment" includes hitting, spanking, paddling, or deliberately inflicting physical pain by any means on the whole or any part of a student's body as a penalty or punishment for the student's behavior on or off campus. (b) A school district employee or a volunteer or independent contractor of a district may not administer corporal punishment or cause corporal punishment to be administered to a student. This subsection does not apply to corporal punishment administered off campus by a parent to the parent's child. (c) A school district employee or a volunteer or independent contractor of a district may use reasonable and necessary restraint, as defined by Section 37.0021. (d) Section 9.62, Penal Code, and Section 22.0511(a) do not apply to an action of a school district employee or a volunteer or independent contractor of a district that violates Subsection (b). SECTION 2. Section 37.0011, Education Code, is repealed. 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, 2013.