| 1 | 1 | | 85R10916 MK-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: González of El Paso H.B. No. 1869 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to training for employees of school districts and |
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| 8 | 8 | | open-enrollment charter schools on the prevention of sexual abuse |
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| 9 | 9 | | and other maltreatment of certain children. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 38.0041(c), Education Code, is amended |
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| 12 | 12 | | to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (c) The methods under Subsection (b)(1) for increasing |
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| 14 | 14 | | awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse and other maltreatment |
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| 15 | 15 | | of children must include training, as provided by this subsection, |
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| 16 | 16 | | concerning prevention techniques for and recognition of sexual |
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| 17 | 17 | | abuse and all other maltreatment of children, including the sexual |
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| 18 | 18 | | abuse and other maltreatment of children with significant cognitive |
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| 19 | 19 | | disabilities in both educational and noneducational settings. The |
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| 20 | 20 | | training: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) must be provided, as part of a new employee |
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| 22 | 22 | | orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter |
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| 23 | 23 | | school employees and to existing district and open-enrollment |
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| 24 | 24 | | charter school employees on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule |
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| 25 | 25 | | until all district and open-enrollment charter school employees |
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| 26 | 26 | | have taken the training; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) must include training concerning: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (A) factors indicating a child is at risk for |
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| 29 | 29 | | sexual abuse or other maltreatment; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (B) likely warning signs indicating a child may |
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| 31 | 31 | | be a victim of sexual abuse or other maltreatment; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (C) internal procedures for seeking assistance |
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| 33 | 33 | | for a child who is at risk for sexual abuse or other maltreatment, |
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| 34 | 34 | | including referral to a school counselor, a social worker, or |
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| 35 | 35 | | another mental health professional; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (D) techniques for reducing a child's risk of |
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| 37 | 37 | | sexual abuse or other maltreatment; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | (E) community organizations that have relevant |
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| 39 | 39 | | existing research-based programs that are able to provide training |
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| 40 | 40 | | or other education for school district or open-enrollment charter |
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| 41 | 41 | | school staff members, students, and parents. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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| 43 | 43 | | school year. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 45 | 45 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 46 | 46 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 47 | 47 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 48 | 48 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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