87R1790 MEW-D
By: Thierry H.B. No. 2527
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a highly contagious communicable disease health and
safety plan prepared by a school district.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 38.044 to read as follows:
Sec. 38.044. HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS COMMUNICABLE DISEASE HEALTH
AND SAFETY PLAN. (a) In this section:
(1) "Communicable disease" has the meaning assigned by
Section 81.003, Health and Safety Code.
(2) "Highly contagious communicable disease" means a
communicable disease that creates a substantial risk of public
exposure because of the disease's high level of contagion or the
method by which the disease is transmitted.
(b) Each school district shall prepare and maintain a health
and safety plan for preventing the spread of a highly contagious
communicable disease at school district campuses. The health and
safety plan must include provisions for, if appropriate to prevent
the spread of the disease:
(1) providing hand washing schedules for students and
school personnel;
(2) requiring temperature checks for students and
school personnel;
(3) requiring classrooms to be arranged to provide for
physical separation between students' desks based on social
distancing recommendations by local health officials;
(4) including sanitation protocols for campus
facilities;
(5) maintaining an inventory of personal protection
equipment and cleaning supplies;
(6) notifying students, parents, and school personnel
if a member of the school community receives a positive test result
for a highly contagious communicable disease;
(7) including protocols for handling a positive test
result among members of the school community; and
(8) including a list of community and school health
centers and resources available to members of the school community.
(c) Not later than the beginning of each school year, each
school district shall:
(1) review and, if necessary, revise the health and
safety plan prepared under Subsection (b); and
(2) submit the district's health and safety plan to the
agency.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act but not later than the beginning of the 2021-2022 school
year, each school district shall prepare a highly contagious
communicable disease health and safety plan and submit the
district's plan to the Texas Education Agency as required by
Section 38.044, Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. 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, 2021.