Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB763 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	S.B. No. 763
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to allowing public schools to employ or accept as
6	6	volunteers chaplains.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 2, Education Code, is amended
9	9	by adding Chapter 23 to read as follows:
10	10	CHAPTER 23. SCHOOL CHAPLAINS
11	11	Sec. 23.001. SCHOOL CHAPLAINS. (a) A school district or
12	12	open-enrollment charter school may employ or accept as a volunteer
13	13	a chaplain to provide support, services, and programs for students
14	14	as assigned by the board of trustees of the district or the
15	15	governing body of the school. A chaplain employed or volunteering
16	16	under this chapter is not required to be certified by the State
17	17	Board for Educator Certification.
18	18	(b) A school district or open-enrollment charter school
19	19	that employs or accepts as a volunteer a chaplain under this chapter
20	20	shall ensure that the chaplain complies with the applicable
21	21	requirements under Subchapter C, Chapter 22, before the chaplain
22	22	begins employment or volunteering at the district or school.
23	23	(c) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
24	24	not employ or accept as a volunteer a chaplain who has been
25	25	convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication community
26	26	supervision for an offense for which a defendant is required to
27	27	register as a sex offender under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal
28	28	Procedure.
29	29	SECTION 2. Section 48.115(b), Education Code, is amended to
30	30	read as follows:
31	31	(b) Funds allocated under this section must be used to
32	32	improve school safety and security, including costs associated
33	33	with:
34	34	(1) securing school facilities, including:
35	35	(A) improvements to school infrastructure;
36	36	(B) the use or installation of physical barriers;
37	37	and
38	38	(C) the purchase and maintenance of:
39	39	(i) security cameras or other security
40	40	equipment; and
41	41	(ii) technology, including communications
42	42	systems or devices, that facilitates communication and information
43	43	sharing between students, school personnel, and first responders in
44	44	an emergency;
45	45	(2) providing security for the district, including:
46	46	(A) employing school district peace officers,
47	47	private security officers, and school marshals; and
48	48	(B) collaborating with local law enforcement
49	49	agencies, such as entering into a memorandum of understanding for
50	50	the assignment of school resource officers to schools in the
51	51	district;
52	52	(3) school safety and security training and planning,
53	53	including:
54	54	(A) active shooter and emergency response
55	55	training;
56	56	(B) prevention and treatment programs relating
57	57	to addressing adverse childhood experiences; and
58	58	(C) the prevention, identification, and
59	59	management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based,
60	60	effective prevention practices and including:
61	61	(i) providing licensed counselors, social
62	62	workers, chaplains, and individuals trained in restorative
63	63	discipline and restorative justice practices;
64	64	(ii) providing mental health personnel and
65	65	support, including chaplains;
66	66	(iii) providing behavioral health
67	67	services, including services provided by chaplains;
68	68	(iv) establishing threat reporting
69	69	systems; and
70	70	(v) developing and implementing programs
71	71	focused on restorative justice practices, culturally relevant
72	72	instruction, and providing mental health support, including
73	73	support provided by chaplains; and
74	74	(4) providing programs related to suicide prevention,
75	75	intervention, and postvention, including programs provided by
76	76	chaplains.
77	77	SECTION 3. Each board of trustees of a school district and
78	78	each governing body of an open-enrollment charter school shall take
79	79	a record vote not later than six months after the effective date of
80	80	this Act on whether to adopt a policy authorizing a campus of the
81	81	district or school to employ or accept as a volunteer a chaplain
82	82	under Chapter 23, Education Code, as added by this Act.
83	83	SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
84	84	school year.
85	85	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
86	86	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
87	87	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
88	88	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
89	89	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
90	90	______________________________ ______________________________
91	91	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
92	92	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 763 passed the Senate on
93	93	April 25, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 18, Nays 12;
94	94	May 11, 2023, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
95	95	requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 15, 2023, House
96	96	granted request of the Senate; May 23, 2023, Senate adopted
97	97	Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 19,
98	98	Nays 12.
99	99	______________________________
100	100	Secretary of the Senate
101	101	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 763 passed the House, with
102	102	amendments, on May 9, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 89,
103	103	Nays 58, one present not voting; May 15, 2023, House granted
104	104	request of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
105	105	May 24, 2023, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
106	106	following vote: Yeas 84, Nays 60, one present not voting.
107	107	______________________________
108	108	Chief Clerk of the House
109	109	Approved:
110	110	______________________________
111	111	Date
112	112	______________________________
113	113	Governor