| 1 | 1 | | 88R13136 ANG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Jones of Harris H.B. No. 4575 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to continuing education requirements for public school |
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| 8 | 8 | | counselors regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, |
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| 9 | 9 | | or questioning youth issues. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 21.0542 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 21.0542. CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS |
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| 14 | 14 | | REGARDING LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER, OR |
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| 15 | 15 | | QUESTIONING YOUTH ISSUES. (a) The board shall propose rules |
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| 16 | 16 | | requiring a counselor to complete a three-hour continuing education |
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| 17 | 17 | | course to help school counselors address issues concerning students |
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| 18 | 18 | | who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The rules proposed by the board under this section may |
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| 20 | 20 | | allow a school counselor to receive credit toward the total number |
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| 21 | 21 | | of hours required for the counselor's overall continuing education |
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| 22 | 22 | | requirements for completion of a course under this section. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (c) The board shall identify or create a continuing |
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| 24 | 24 | | education course or program that meets the requirements of |
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| 25 | 25 | | Subsection (a) and includes training regarding: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) pronoun terminology and usage; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) the handling of hate crimes and bullying against |
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| 28 | 28 | | students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or |
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| 29 | 29 | | questioning; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) mental health and suicide education related to the |
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| 31 | 31 | | specific struggles encountered by students who are lesbian, gay, |
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| 32 | 32 | | bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (4) advice to provide a student for communicating the |
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| 34 | 34 | | student's sexual orientation or gender identity to the student's |
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| 35 | 35 | | parent; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (5) the creation of a welcoming environment that is |
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| 37 | 37 | | culturally sensitive for students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, |
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| 38 | 38 | | transgender, queer, or questioning; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (6) past and present systems of oppression for persons |
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| 40 | 40 | | who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (d) The board may consult with the following persons or |
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| 42 | 42 | | entities as necessary to implement this section: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (1) a psychologist specializing in child psychology; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) a psychologist specializing in care for persons |
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| 45 | 45 | | who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning; |
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| 46 | 46 | | or |
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| 47 | 47 | | (3) an appropriate nonprofit organization. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 49 | 49 | | of this Act, the State Board for Educator Certification shall |
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| 50 | 50 | | propose rules implementing Section 21.0542, Education Code, as |
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| 51 | 51 | | added by this Act. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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