89R995 KJE-F
By: González of El Paso H.B. No. 1272
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to healthy relationships education in public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.0041 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.0041. HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION. (a) In
this section, "age-appropriate" means suitable to particular ages
or age groups of children or adolescents, based on developing
cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age
or age group.
(b) A school district shall provide healthy relationships
education in accordance with this section at grade levels and in
courses specified by the State Board of Education.
(c) The State Board of Education by rule shall adopt the
essential knowledge and skills for curricula to be used by a school
district in providing healthy relationships education under this
section that are age-appropriate and supported by research that is
peer-reviewed, conducted in compliance with accepted scientific
methods, and recognized as accurate by leading professional
organizations and agencies with relevant experience. As
age-appropriate, the curricula must promote relationship,
communication, and decision-making skills, including strategies
to:
(1) develop healthy, age-appropriate relationships;
(2) develop healthy life skills, including critical
thinking, problem solving, effective communication, and
responsible decision making about relationships; and
(3) promote effective communication between
adolescents and their parents, legal guardians, or other family
members about relationships.
(d) A school district shall make all curriculum materials
used in the district's healthy relationships education available
for reasonable public inspection.
(e) A student shall be excused from healthy relationships
education on the written request of a parent or legal guardian
without being subjected to any disciplinary action, academic
penalty, or other sanction imposed by the school district or the
student's school.
(f) A parent or legal guardian may use the grievance
procedure adopted under Section 26.011 concerning a complaint of a
violation of this section.
(g) Before each school year, a school district shall provide
written notice to a parent or legal guardian of each student
enrolled in the district of the intent to provide healthy
relationships education under this section. The notice must
include:
(1) a summary of the basic content of the healthy
relationships education to be provided to the student;
(2) a description of the curricula requirements for
healthy relationships education under Subsection (c);
(3) a statement of the parent's or legal guardian's
right to:
(A) review curriculum materials as provided by
Subsection (d);
(B) remove the student from any part of the
district's healthy relationships education as provided by
Subsection (e); and
(C) use the grievance procedure adopted under
Section 26.011 concerning a complaint of a violation of this
section, as provided by Subsection (f); and
(4) information regarding any opportunities for the
parent or legal guardian to participate in the development of
curricula for healthy relationships education.
SECTION 2. Section 12.104(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to:
(1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal
offense;
(2) the provisions in Chapter 554, Government Code;
and
(3) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as
applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this
title, relating to:
(A) the Public Education Information Management
System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with
this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;
(B) criminal history records under Subchapter C,
Chapter 22;
(C) reading instruments and accelerated reading
instruction programs under Section 28.006;
(D) accelerated instruction under Section
28.0211;
(E) high school graduation requirements under
Section 28.025;
(F) special education programs under Subchapter
A, Chapter 29;
(G) bilingual education under Subchapter B,
Chapter 29;
(H) prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E
or E-1, Chapter 29, except class size limits for prekindergarten
classes imposed under Section 25.112, which do not apply;
(I) extracurricular activities under Section
33.081;
(J) discipline management practices or behavior
management techniques under Section 37.0021;
(K) health and safety under Chapter 38;
(L) the provisions of Subchapter A, Chapter 39;
(M) public school accountability and special
investigations under Subchapters A, B, C, D, F, G, and J, Chapter
39, and Chapter 39A;
(N) the requirement under Section 21.006 to
report an educator's misconduct;
(O) intensive programs of instruction under
Section 28.0213;
(P) the right of a school employee to report a
crime, as provided by Section 37.148;
(Q) bullying prevention policies and procedures
under Section 37.0832;
(R) the right of a school under Section 37.0052
to place a student who has engaged in certain bullying behavior in a
disciplinary alternative education program or to expel the student;
(S) the right under Section 37.0151 to report to
local law enforcement certain conduct constituting assault or
harassment;
(T) a parent's right to information regarding the
provision of assistance for learning difficulties to the parent's
child as provided by Sections 26.004(b)(11) and 26.0081(c) and (d);
(U) establishment of residency under Section
25.001;
(V) school safety requirements under Sections
37.0814, 37.108, 37.1081, 37.1082, 37.1083, 37.1084, 37.1085,
37.1086, 37.109, 37.113, 37.114, 37.1141, 37.115, 37.207, and
37.2071 and Subchapter J, Chapter 37;
(W) the early childhood literacy and mathematics
proficiency plans under Section 11.185;
(X) the college, career, and military readiness
plans under Section 11.186; [and]
(Y) parental options to retain a student under
Section 28.02124; and
(Z) healthy relationships education under
Section 28.0041.
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2026-2027
school year.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.