| 1 | 1 | | By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2342 |
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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 bullying prevention in public schools, including the |
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| 7 | 7 | | establishment of a bullying prevention program. |
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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 C, Chapter 37, Education Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Sections 37.0833 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 37.0833. BULLYING PREVENTION PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In |
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| 12 | 12 | | this section, "bullying" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 13 | 13 | | 37.0832. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (b) The commissioner shall establish and administer a |
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| 15 | 15 | | bullying prevention pilot program to help reduce incidents of |
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| 16 | 16 | | bullying in public schools. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (c) In establishing the bullying prevention program under |
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| 18 | 18 | | Subsection (b), the commissioner may collaborate with: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) qualified experts and researchers in the areas of |
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| 20 | 20 | | child and youth wellbeing, mental health, and education; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) other appropriate stakeholders. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (d) Using funds appropriated for that purpose, the |
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| 23 | 23 | | commissioner shall establish and administer a grant program under |
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| 24 | 24 | | which a school district that demonstrates a substantial need for |
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| 25 | 25 | | bullying prevention may receive a grant to implement the bullying |
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| 26 | 26 | | prevention pilot program at no more than three campuses within the |
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| 27 | 27 | | district. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (e) The commissioner shall establish application criteria |
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| 29 | 29 | | for receipt of a grant under this section. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (f) The commissioner shall establish allowable uses of |
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| 31 | 31 | | grant funds under this section. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (g) The agency shall use funds allocated for the grant |
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| 33 | 33 | | program under this section to provide technical assistance to grant |
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| 34 | 34 | | recipients under this section, including through regional |
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| 35 | 35 | | education service centers. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (h) The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this |
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| 37 | 37 | | section. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (i) The commissioner may use funds otherwise available, |
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| 39 | 39 | | including funds provided through grants or donations sought and |
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| 40 | 40 | | accepted by the agency, to implement this section. If funds are not |
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| 41 | 41 | | appropriated to implement this section, the commissioner is not |
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| 42 | 42 | | required to implement the provisions of this section. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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