Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2645 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R11808 MK-F
2	2	By: Thompson of Harris H.B. No. 2645
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the development of a program and training for public
8	8	schools on the prevention of sexual abuse and sex trafficking and
9	9	participation by the human trafficking prevention task force in
10	10	that development.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Section 28.017 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 28.017. INSTRUCTION ON PREVENTION OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND
15	15	SEX TRAFFICKING. (a) The commissioner, in cooperation with the
16	16	human trafficking prevention task force created under Section
17	17	402.035, Government Code, and any other persons the commissioner
18	18	considers appropriate, shall develop a sexual abuse and sex
19	19	trafficking prevention program that a school district may use in
20	20	the district's health curriculum. The program must include:
21	21	(1) information on the different forms of sexual abuse
22	22	and assault, sex trafficking, and risk factors for sex trafficking;
23	23	(2) the procedures for reporting sexual abuse and sex
24	24	trafficking or suspected sexual abuse or sex trafficking;
25	25	(3) strategies for sexual abuse and assault prevention
26	26	and overcoming peer pressure;
27	27	(4) information on establishing healthy boundaries
28	28	for relationships, recognizing potentially abusive or harmful
29	29	relationships, and avoiding high-risk activities;
30	30	(5) the recruiting tactics of sex traffickers and peer
31	31	recruiters, including recruitment through the Internet;
32	32	(6) the legal aspects of sexual abuse and sex
33	33	trafficking under state and federal law; and
34	34	(7) the influence of culture and mass media on
35	35	perceptions of sexual abuse and sex trafficking, including
36	36	stereotypes and myths about victims and abusers, victim blaming,
37	37	and the role of language.
38	38	(b) The program developed under Subsection (a) must
39	39	emphasize compassion for victims of sexual abuse or sex trafficking
40	40	and the creation of a positive reentry experience for survivors of
41	41	sexual abuse or sex trafficking into schools.
42	42	SECTION 2. Section 38.0041, Education Code, is amended by
43	43	amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsection (a-1)
44	44	to read as follows:
45	45	(a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school
46	46	shall adopt and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse, sex
47	47	trafficking, and other maltreatment of children, to be included in
48	48	the district improvement plan under Section 11.252 and any
49	49	informational handbook provided to students and parents.
50	50	(a-1) A school district may collaborate with local law
51	51	enforcement and outside consultants with expertise in the
52	52	prevention of sexual abuse and sex trafficking to create the policy
53	53	required under Subsection (a), and to create a referral protocol
54	54	for high-risk students.
55	55	(b) A policy required by this section must address:
56	56	(1) methods for increasing staff, student, and parent
57	57	awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and
58	58	other maltreatment of children, including prevention techniques
59	59	and knowledge of likely warning signs indicating that a child may be
60	60	a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment,
61	61	using resources developed by the agency under Section 38.004 or by
62	62	the commissioner under Section 28.017;
63	63	(2) actions that a child who is a victim of sexual
64	64	abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment should take to obtain
65	65	assistance and intervention; and
66	66	(3) available counseling options for students
67	67	affected by sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment.
68	68	(c) The methods under Subsection (b)(1) for increasing
69	69	awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and
70	70	other maltreatment of children must include training, as provided
71	71	by this subsection, concerning prevention techniques for and
72	72	recognition of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and all other
73	73	maltreatment of children. The training:
74	74	(1) must be provided, as part of a new employee
75	75	orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter
76	76	school employees and to existing district and open-enrollment
77	77	charter school employees on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule
78	78	until all district and open-enrollment charter school employees
79	79	have taken the training; and
80	80	(2) must include training concerning:
81	81	(A) factors indicating a child is at risk for
82	82	sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment;
83	83	(B) likely warning signs indicating a child may
84	84	be a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other
85	85	maltreatment;
86	86	(C) internal procedures for seeking assistance
87	87	for a child who is at risk for sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or
88	88	other maltreatment, including referral to a school counselor, a
89	89	social worker, or another mental health professional;
90	90	(D) techniques for reducing a child's risk of
91	91	sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or other maltreatment; and
92	92	(E) community organizations that have relevant
93	93	existing research-based programs that are able to provide training
94	94	or other education for school district or open-enrollment charter
95	95	school staff members, students, and parents.
96	96	SECTION 3. Section 402.035(h), Government Code, is amended
97	97	to read as follows:
98	98	(h) This section expires September 1, 2019 [2017].
99	99	SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
100	100	school year.
101	101	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
102	102	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
103	103	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
104	104	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
105	105	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.