S.B. No. 279
AN ACT
relating to the inclusion of suicide prevention information on
certain student identification cards issued by a public school or
public institution of higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 38.353 to read as follows:
Sec. 38.353. SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION REQUIRED ON
CERTAIN STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS. Each student identification
card issued by a public school to a student in grade six or higher:
(1) must have printed on the card the contact
information for:
(A) the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline;
and
(B) the Crisis Text Line; and
(2) may have printed on the card the contact
information for a local suicide prevention hotline, if available.
SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.91941 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.91941. SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION REQUIRED ON
STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARD. (a) In this section, "institution of
higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(b) Each student identification card issued by an
institution of higher education:
(1) must have printed on the card the contact
information for:
(A) the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline;
and
(B) the Crisis Text Line; and
(2) may have printed on the card the contact
information for:
(A) the campus police department or security for
the campus at which the student to whom the card is issued regularly
attends classes or, if the campus does not have a campus police
department or security, a local nonemergency police contact;
(B) the campus health clinic for the campus at
which the student to whom the card is issued regularly attends
classes or, if the campus does not have a health clinic, a local
health clinic; and
(C) a local suicide prevention hotline, if
available.
SECTION 3. Sections 38.353 and 51.91941, Education Code, as
added by this Act, apply only to a student identification card
issued on or after the effective date of this Act.
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.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 279 passed the Senate on
April 29, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 29, 2021, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 279 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 107,
Nays 40, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor