| 1 | 1 | | 85R935 CAE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Huberty H.B. No. 380 |
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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 authorizing the purchase of certain insurance coverage |
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| 8 | 8 | | by public school districts for the benefit of businesses and |
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| 9 | 9 | | students participating in career or technology training programs |
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| 10 | 10 | | and providing for immunity from liability of certain public school |
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| 11 | 11 | | students participating in career or technology programs. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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| 14 | 14 | | amended by adding Sections 29.191 and 29.192 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 29.191. HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN, LIABILITY, AND AUTOMOBILE |
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| 16 | 16 | | INSURANCE COVERAGE. (a) The board of trustees of a school district |
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| 17 | 17 | | may obtain health benefit plan, liability, or automobile insurance |
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| 18 | 18 | | coverage to protect: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) a business or entity that partners with the |
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| 20 | 20 | | district to provide district students a career and technology |
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| 21 | 21 | | training program; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) a district student who participates in a district |
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| 23 | 23 | | career and technology training program. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) The coverage authorized by this section must be: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (1) obtained from a reliable insurer authorized to |
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| 26 | 26 | | engage in business in this state; or |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) provided through a self-funded risk pool. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (c) The amount of coverage the district obtains must be |
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| 29 | 29 | | reasonable considering the financial condition of the school |
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| 30 | 30 | | district and may not exceed the amount that, in the opinion of the |
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| 31 | 31 | | board of trustees, is reasonably necessary. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (d) If the board of trustees obtains health benefit plan, |
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| 33 | 33 | | liability, or automobile insurance coverage under this section, the |
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| 34 | 34 | | board shall notify the parent or guardian of each student |
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| 35 | 35 | | participating in the career and technology training program. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (e) The failure of any board of trustees to obtain coverage |
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| 37 | 37 | | authorized by this section may not be construed as placing any legal |
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| 38 | 38 | | liability on the school district or the district's officers, |
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| 39 | 39 | | agents, or employees for any injury that results. |
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| 40 | 40 | | Sec. 29.192. IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY. A student who |
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| 41 | 41 | | participates in a career and technology training program sponsored |
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| 42 | 42 | | by a school district is entitled to immunity in the same manner as a |
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| 43 | 43 | | professional employee of a school district under Subchapter B, |
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| 44 | 44 | | Chapter 22. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 2. Section 29.187(f), Education Code, is repealed. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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| 47 | 47 | | school year. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 49 | 49 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 50 | 50 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 51 | 51 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 52 | 52 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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