| 1 | 1 | | By: Jetton H.B. No. 3142 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the establishment of a counseling certification |
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| 7 | 7 | | incentive program for school nurses by the Texas Education Agency. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 33.010 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 33.010. COUNSELING CERTIFICATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM. |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) From funds appropriated or otherwise available for the |
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| 13 | 13 | | purpose, the agency shall establish and administer a program to |
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| 14 | 14 | | provide salary bonuses to eligible school nurses employed by school |
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| 15 | 15 | | districts who complete counseling certifications related to |
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| 16 | 16 | | addressing student mental health needs. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) The commissioner by rule shall establish eligibility |
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| 18 | 18 | | criteria to receive a salary bonus under this section. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) The agency may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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| 20 | 20 | | donations from any public or private source for the purpose of this |
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| 21 | 21 | | section. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (d) The commissioner shall adopt rules to establish and |
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| 23 | 23 | | administer the incentive program under this section. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 25 | 25 | | of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall establish the |
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| 26 | 26 | | counseling certification incentive program under Section 33.010, |
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| 27 | 27 | | Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 29 | 29 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 30 | 30 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 31 | 31 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 32 | 32 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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