87R9951 GCB-F
By: Allison H.B. No. 3300
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain school district staff development requirements
and including certain information regarding substance abuse and
suicidal tendencies in the essential knowledge and skills of the
public school health curriculum.
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 biennial basis
[schedule adopted by the agency by rule]; 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. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (r) and adding Subsection (r-1) to read as
follows:
(r) In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the
health curriculum under Subsection (a)(2)(B), the State Board of
Education shall adopt essential knowledge and skills that address:
(1) the science, risk factors, causes, dangers,
consequences, signs, symptoms, and treatment of substance abuse,
including:
(A) the use of illegal drugs;
(B) [,] abuse of prescription drugs;
(C) [,] abuse of alcohol such as by binge
drinking or other excessive drinking resulting in alcohol
poisoning;
(D) [,] inhaling solvents; [,] and
(E) other forms of substance abuse;
(2) the relationship between drug and alcohol use and
suicide;
(3) recognizing signs of suicidal tendencies and other
warning signs of suicide; and
(4) help-seeking behaviors and available community
suicide prevention services.
(r-1) The agency shall compile a list of evidence-based
substance abuse awareness programs from which a school district
shall choose a program to use in the district's middle school,
junior high school, and high school health curriculum. In this
subsection, "evidence-based substance abuse awareness program"
means a program, practice, or strategy that has been proven to
effectively prevent substance abuse among students, as determined
by evaluations that are evidence-based.
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022
school year.
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, 2021.