By: Allison, Talarico, González of El Paso, H.B. No. 3018
et al.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring the incorporation of instruction in digital
citizenship into the curriculum of certain school districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (z) to read as follows:
(z) The State Board of Education by rule shall require each
school district with an enrollment of at least 3,250 students to
incorporate instruction in digital citizenship into the district's
curriculum. In this subsection, "digital citizenship" means the
standards of appropriate, responsible, and healthy online
behavior, including the ability to access, analyze, evaluate,
create, and act on all forms of digital communication.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
school year.
SECTION 3.
A school district is required to implement a
provision of this Act only if the legislature appropriates money to
the Texas Education Agency that is provided to school districts
specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not
appropriate money that is provided to school districts specifically
for that purpose, a school district may, but is not required to,
implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations
available for that purpose.
SECTION 4. 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, 2019.