87R3169 JES-F By: Ramos H.B. No. 1144 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to staff development requirements for public educators regarding suicide prevention and other mental health training. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 21.451(d-1), Education Code, is amended to read as follows: (d-1) The training required by Subsection (d)(3): (1) must: (A) be provided: (i) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter school educators; and (ii) to existing school district and open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule that requires an educator to be trained at least once every two years; and (B) use a best practice-based program recommended by the Health and Human Services Commission in coordination with the agency under Section 38.351; and (2) may include two or more listed topics together. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.