Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1302 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1302
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to the creation of a suicide awareness and prevention,
7	7	youth violence prevention, and social inclusion program for public
8	8	school students.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Sections 38.354, 38.355, and 38.356 to read as
12	12	follows:
13	13	Sec. 38.354. TRAINING FOR STUDENTS REGARDING SUICIDE
14	14	AWARENESS AND PREVENTION AND YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION. (a) Each
15	15	school year, a school district shall provide to students enrolled
16	16	in the district in grades 6 through 12 training regarding suicide
17	17	awareness and prevention and youth violence prevention. The
18	18	training must include:
19	19	(1) at least one hour or a standard class period of
20	20	evidence-based instruction regarding suicide awareness and
21	21	prevention with information and materials on:
22	22	(A) methods for identifying the signs and signals
23	23	of depression, suicide, and self-harm in the student's self and
24	24	other students; and
25	25	(B) the importance of and process for seeking
26	26	help for the student's self or another student; and
27	27	(2) at least one hour or a standard class period of
28	28	evidence-based instruction regarding youth violence prevention
29	29	with information and materials on:
30	30	(A) methods for identifying observable warning
31	31	signs and signals of a person who may be at risk of self-harm or harm
32	32	to others;
33	33	(B) the importance of taking threats seriously
34	34	and seeking help; and
35	35	(C) steps a student may take to report dangerous,
36	36	violent, threatening, harmful, or potentially harmful activity.
37	37	(b) A school district may provide the instruction required
38	38	under this section:
39	39	(1) in person or remotely; and
40	40	(2) through a single instructional program that
41	41	provides training regarding a combination of suicide awareness and
42	42	prevention and youth violence prevention.
43	43	(b-1) Beginning not later than the 2026-2027 school year,
44	44	each school district shall provide to students the training
45	45	required under this section. This subsection expires September 1,
46	46	2027.
47	47	(c) The agency shall develop and post on the agency's
48	48	publicly available Internet website a list of evidence-based
49	49	training and materials, including, if available, training and
50	50	materials provided at no cost, for school districts to use in
51	51	providing the training required under this section. The agency
52	52	shall review and update the list not less than every three years.
53	53	(c-1) The agency shall develop and post on the agency's
54	54	publicly available Internet website the list required under
55	55	Subsection (c) not later than August 31, 2024. This subsection
56	56	expires September 1, 2025.
57	57	(d) To pay for the costs of implementing this section, the
58	58	agency may:
59	59	(1) apply for federal funding; and
60	60	(2) use any funds appropriated or otherwise available
61	61	for the purposes of school safety and violence prevention.
62	62	Sec. 38.355. SOCIAL INCLUSION TRAINING FOR STUDENTS. (a)
63	63	Each school year, a school district shall provide to students
64	64	enrolled in the district in kindergarten through grade 12 training
65	65	regarding social inclusion. The training must include at least one
66	66	hour or a standard class period of evidence-based instruction that
67	67	includes information and materials regarding:
68	68	(1) what social isolation looks like and how to
69	69	identify social isolation in others;
70	70	(2) the importance of taking social isolation
71	71	seriously and seeking help for other students; and
72	72	(3) strategies for being more socially inclusive in
73	73	the classroom and community and to establish connections with other
74	74	students.
75	75	(b) A school district may provide the instruction required
76	76	under this section in person or remotely.
77	77	(b-1) Beginning not later than the 2026-2027 school year,
78	78	each school district shall provide to students the training
79	79	required under this section. This subsection expires September 1,
80	80	2027.
81	81	(c) The agency shall develop and post on the agency's
82	82	publicly available Internet website a list of evidence-based
83	83	training and materials, including, if available, training and
84	84	materials provided at no cost, for school districts to use in
85	85	providing the training required under this section. The agency
86	86	shall review and update the list not less than every three years.
87	87	(c-1) The agency shall develop and post on the agency's
88	88	publicly available Internet website the list required under
89	89	Subsection (c) not later than August 31, 2024. This subsection
90	90	expires September 1, 2025.
91	91	(d) To pay for the costs of implementing this section, the
92	92	agency may:
93	93	(1) apply for federal funding; and
94	94	(2) use any funds appropriated or otherwise available
95	95	for the purposes of school safety and violence prevention.
96	96	Sec. 38.356. SELF-HARM AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION STUDENT
97	97	CLUB. (a) Each school district may establish at each district
98	98	campus a self-harm and violence prevention club. The club must:
99	99	(1) be student-led;
100	100	(2) be open to all students enrolled at the campus; and
101	101	(3) have at least one identified adult advisor.
102	102	(b) The club must:
103	103	(1) support awareness activities related to suicide
104	104	and violence prevention and social inclusion, including training
105	105	provided in accordance with Sections 38.354 and 38.355; and
106	106	(2) foster opportunities for student leadership
107	107	development.
108	108	(b-1) Beginning not later than the 2024-2025 school year,
109	109	each school district may establish at each campus the student club
110	110	required under Subsection (a). This subsection expires September 1,
111	111	2025.
112	112	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.