| 1 | 1 | | By: Hickland H.B. No. 1551 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to the notification of parents of students enrolled in |
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| 9 | 9 | | public school regarding certain alleged criminal conduct by an |
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| 10 | 10 | | employee. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 22, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 22.088 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 22.088. NOTICE TO PARENTS REGARDING CERTAIN EMPLOYEE |
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| 15 | 15 | | CRIMINAL CONDUCT. (a) Not later than the second school day after a |
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| 16 | 16 | | school district or open-enrollment charter school becomes aware |
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| 17 | 17 | | that an employee of the district or school has been charged with an |
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| 18 | 18 | | offense described by Article 42.018, Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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| 19 | 19 | | the district or school shall notify the parent or guardian of each |
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| 20 | 20 | | student enrolled at the campus at which the employee is employed of |
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| 21 | 21 | | the charged offense. The notice must include: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) the employee's name and position; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) whether the employee continues to be employed at |
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| 24 | 24 | | the district or school; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) the length of the employee's employment with the |
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| 26 | 26 | | district or school; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (4) the offense for which the employee is being |
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| 28 | 28 | | charged; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (5) a statement that, under state and federal law, a |
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| 30 | 30 | | person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may |
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| 32 | 32 | | include in the notice under Subsection (a) additional information |
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| 33 | 33 | | regarding underlying facts or circumstances relating to the charged |
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| 34 | 34 | | offense but may not disclose the identity of the alleged victim. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (c) The commissioner by rule shall establish guidelines for |
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| 36 | 36 | | providing notice under Subsection (a) during a period in which the |
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| 37 | 37 | | school district or open-enrollment charter school is closed. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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| 39 | 39 | | school year. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 41 | 41 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 42 | 42 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 44 | 44 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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