Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB781 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R3404 ANG-D
2	2	By: Bernal H.B. No. 781
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to certain public school instructional requirements and
10	10	prohibitions and the incorporation of certain instructional
11	11	activities as part of student coursework.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Sections 21.4555(a) and (b), Education Code, are
14	14	amended to read as follows:
15	15	(a) To facilitate the teaching of curriculum consistent
16	16	with Section [Sections] 28.002(h-2) [and 28.0022], the
17	17	commissioner shall develop and make available civics training
18	18	programs for teachers and administrators.
19	19	(b) A civics training program developed under this section
20	20	must include training in:
21	21	(1) the essential knowledge and skills for the social
22	22	studies curriculum related to civic knowledge adopted under Section
23	23	28.002(h-2);
24	24	(2) guided classroom discussion of current events, as
25	25	appropriate for the grade level [and consistent with the
26	26	restrictions under Section 28.0022];
27	27	(3) classroom simulations and models of governmental
28	28	and democratic processes consistent with the requirements [and
29	29	restrictions] of Section [Sections] 28.002(h-2) [and 28.0022];
30	30	(4) media literacy, including instruction on
31	31	verifying information and sources, identifying and responding to
32	32	logical fallacies, and identifying propaganda, as appropriate for
33	33	the grade level [and consistent with the restrictions under Section
34	34	28.0022]; and
35	35	(5) strategies for incorporating civics instruction
36	36	into subject areas other than social studies.
37	37	SECTION 2. Section 22.05125(b), Education Code, is amended
38	38	to read as follows:
39	39	(b) A classroom teacher employed by a school district may
40	40	not be subject to disciplinary proceedings for an allegation that
41	41	the teacher violated [Section 28.0022,] the Establishment Clause of
42	42	the First Amendment of the United States Constitution [,] or a
43	43	related state or federal law if:
44	44	(1) the teacher used only instructional material
45	45	included on the list of approved instructional material maintained
46	46	by the State Board of Education under Section 31.022 and adopted by
47	47	the district; and
48	48	(2) the allegation does not dispute that the teacher
49	49	delivered instruction from instructional material described by
50	50	Subdivision (1) with fidelity.
51	51	SECTION 3. The heading to Section 28.0022, Education Code,
52	52	is amended to read as follows:
53	53	Sec. 28.0022. CERTAIN INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES PERMITTED
54	54	[REQUIREMENTS AND PROHIBITIONS].
55	55	SECTION 4. Section 28.0022(a), Education Code, is amended
56	56	to read as follows:
57	57	(a) For any course or subject, including an innovative
58	58	course, for a grade level from kindergarten through grade 12,[:
59	59	[(1) a teacher may not be compelled to discuss a widely
60	60	debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or
61	61	social affairs;
62	62	[(2) a teacher who chooses to discuss a topic
63	63	described by Subdivision (1) shall explore that topic objectively
64	64	and in a manner free from political bias;
65	65	[(3)] a school district, open-enrollment charter
66	66	school, or teacher may, as an option for student learning [not
67	67	require], make part of a course, or award a grade or course credit,
68	68	including extra credit, for a student's:
69	69	(1) [(A)] work for, affiliation with, or service
70	70	learning in association with any organization engaged in[:
71	71	[(i)] lobbying for legislation at the
72	72	federal, state, or local level[, if the student's duties involve
73	73	directly or indirectly attempting to influence social or public
74	74	policy or the outcome of legislation]; or
75	75	(2) [(ii) social policy advocacy or public policy
76	76	advocacy;
77	77	[(B) political activism, lobbying, or efforts to
78	78	persuade members of the legislative or executive branch at the
79	79	federal, state, or local level to take specific actions by direct
80	80	communication; or
81	81	[(C)] participation in any internship,
82	82	practicum, or similar activity involving social policy advocacy or
83	83	public policy advocacy[; and
84	84	[(4) a teacher, administrator, or other employee of a
85	85	state agency, school district, or open-enrollment charter school
86	86	may not:
87	87	[(A) require or make part of a course inculcation
88	88	in the concept that:
89	89	[(i) one race or sex is inherently superior
90	90	to another race or sex;
91	91	[(ii) an individual, by virtue of the
92	92	individual's race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or
93	93	oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously;
94	94	[(iii) an individual should be
95	95	discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly
96	96	because of the individual's race or sex;
97	97	[(iv) an individual's moral character,
98	98	standing, or worth is necessarily determined by the individual's
99	99	race or sex;
100	100	[(v) an individual, by virtue of the
101	101	individual's race or sex, bears responsibility, blame, or guilt for
102	102	actions committed by other members of the same race or sex;
103	103	[(vi) meritocracy or traits such as a hard
104	104	work ethic are racist or sexist or were created by members of a
105	105	particular race to oppress members of another race;
106	106	[(vii) the advent of slavery in the
107	107	territory that is now the United States constituted the true
108	108	founding of the United States; or
109	109	[(viii) with respect to their relationship
110	110	to American values, slavery and racism are anything other than
111	111	deviations from, betrayals of, or failures to live up to the
112	112	authentic founding principles of the United States, which include
113	113	liberty and equality;
114	114	[(B) teach, instruct, or train any
115	115	administrator, teacher, or staff member of a state agency, school
116	116	district, or open-enrollment charter school to adopt a concept
117	117	listed under Paragraph (A); or
118	118	[(C) require an understanding of the 1619
119	119	Project].
120	120	SECTION 5. Section 31.0712, Education Code, is amended to
121	121	read as follows:
122	122	Sec. 31.0712. OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE ADVISORY BOARD. The
123	123	agency shall establish an open education resource advisory board to
124	124	ensure that open education resource instructional materials made
125	125	available under this subchapter are:
126	126	(1) of the highest quality;
127	127	(2) aligned with the essential knowledge and skills
128	128	adopted by the State Board of Education under Section 28.002 for the
129	129	applicable subject and grade level;
130	130	(3) suitable for the age of students at the grade level
131	131	for which the materials are developed; and
132	132	(4) free from bias and factual error[; and
133	133	[(5) in compliance with Section 28.0022].
134	134	SECTION 6. Section 31.1011(a), Education Code, is amended
135	135	to read as follows:
136	136	(a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school
137	137	shall annually certify to the State Board of Education and the
138	138	commissioner that:
139	139	(1) for each subject in the required curriculum under
140	140	Section 28.002, other than physical education, and each grade
141	141	level, the district or school:
142	142	(A) provides each student with instructional
143	143	materials that cover all elements of the essential knowledge and
144	144	skills adopted by the State Board of Education for that subject and
145	145	grade level; and
146	146	(B) in the provision of instructional materials,
147	147	protects students from obscene or harmful content as necessary for
148	148	compliance with:
149	149	(i) the Children's Internet Protection Act
150	150	(Pub. L. No. 106-554);
151	151	(ii) [Section 28.0022;
152	152	[(iii)] Section 43.22, Penal Code; and
153	153	(iii) [(iv)] any other law or regulation
154	154	that protects students from obscene or harmful content; and
155	155	(2) the district or school used money allocated to the
156	156	district or school under the instructional materials and technology
157	157	allotment only for purposes allowed under Section 31.0211.
158	158	SECTION 7. Sections 28.0022(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and
159	159	(g), Education Code, are repealed.
160	160	SECTION 8. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
161	161	school year.
162	162	SECTION 9. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
163	163	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
164	164	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
165	165	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
166	166	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.