| 1 | 1 | | 89R8386 AND-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Zaffirini, Menéndez S.B. No. 1414 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to establishing the Texas State Seal of Bilingualism and |
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| 10 | 10 | | Biliteracy for public high school students. |
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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 B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 28.028 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 28.028. TEXAS STATE SEAL OF BILINGUALISM AND |
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| 15 | 15 | | BILITERACY. (a) In this section, "seal" means the Texas State Seal |
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| 16 | 16 | | of Bilingualism and Biliteracy established under Subsection (b). |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) The agency shall establish a seal to recognize high |
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| 18 | 18 | | school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in |
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| 19 | 19 | | comprehending, speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a |
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| 20 | 20 | | language other than English. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (c) The agency, in consultation with appropriate |
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| 22 | 22 | | stakeholders, shall: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) determine minimum requirements for earning the |
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| 24 | 24 | | seal, which: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (A) must be sufficiently rigorous to indicate to |
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| 26 | 26 | | an employer or postsecondary institution that a student who has |
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| 27 | 27 | | earned the seal is biliterate; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (B) may include completion of a project, |
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| 29 | 29 | | activity, or portfolio; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (C) may not condition receipt of the seal on an |
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| 31 | 31 | | examination created for that purpose; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) prepare and deliver to each school district an |
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| 33 | 33 | | insignia that can be affixed or stamped on the diploma of and adopt |
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| 34 | 34 | | a designation to be included on the transcript of a student who has |
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| 35 | 35 | | satisfied requirements for earning the seal. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) Each school district shall: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) maintain appropriate records to identify students |
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| 38 | 38 | | who have earned the seal; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) for each student who has satisfied requirements |
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| 40 | 40 | | for earning the seal: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (A) affix the seal's insignia to the student's |
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| 42 | 42 | | diploma; and |
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| 43 | 43 | | (B) include in the student's transcript that the |
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| 44 | 44 | | student earned the seal. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (e) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 46 | 46 | | administer this section. |
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| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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| 48 | 48 | | school year. |
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| 49 | 49 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 50 | 50 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 51 | 51 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 52 | 52 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 53 | 53 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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