84R8195 JSL-D
By: Burrows H.B. No. 1815
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a prohibition of school district retaliation against a
teacher for permissible teaching about the Bible.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 21.012 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.012. RETALIATION BASED ON BIBLE INSTRUCTION
PROHIBITED. (a) In this section, "employment action" means an
action that affects an employee's compensation, promotion,
demotion, transfer, work assignment, or performance evaluation.
(b) A school district may not suspend or terminate the
employment of a teacher or take other adverse employment action
against the teacher based on the teacher's instruction to students
about the Bible if the instruction is provided in accordance with
the United States Constitution, federal law, the Texas
Constitution, and state law.
(c) A teacher whose employment is suspended or terminated or
who is subjected to an adverse employment action in violation of
this section is entitled to:
(1) reinstatement to the teacher's former position or
an equivalent position;
(2) compensation for lost wages during the period of
suspension, termination, or other adverse employment action;
(3) reinstatement of fringe benefits and seniority
rights lost because of the suspension, termination, or other
adverse employment action; and
(4) permanent removal of any retaliatory performance
review from any personnel file maintained by the district regarding
the teacher.
SECTION 2. 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, 2015.