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| 2 | + | (In the Senate - Filed November 12, 2024; February 3, 2025, |
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| 3 | + | read first time and referred to Committee on Education K-16; |
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| 4 | + | March 17, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee |
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| 5 | + | Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; March 17, 2025, |
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| 6 | + | sent to printer.) |
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| 7 | + | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 8 | + | COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 204 By: Parker |
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| 4 | 9 | | |
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| 5 | 10 | | |
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| 6 | 11 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 12 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 13 | | relating to a handbook on parental rights in education and training |
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| 9 | 14 | | requirements on parental rights in education for a member of the |
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| 10 | 15 | | board of trustees of a school district. |
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| 11 | 16 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 17 | | SECTION 1. Section 11.159, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 18 | | adding Subsection (b-2) to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 19 | | (b-2) The State Board of Education shall require a trustee |
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| 15 | 20 | | to complete training on the rights of a parent regarding the |
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| 16 | 21 | | education of the parent's child. The state board, with assistance |
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| 17 | 22 | | from the agency, shall develop the curriculum and materials for the |
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| 18 | 23 | | training. |
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| 19 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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| 20 | 25 | | Section 26.0025 to read as follows: |
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| 21 | 26 | | Sec. 26.0025. PARENTAL RIGHTS HANDBOOK. (a) The agency |
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| 22 | 27 | | shall create and maintain a handbook that explains all rights of a |
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| 23 | 28 | | parent regarding the education of the parent's child, including a |
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| 24 | 29 | | student's rights that the parent may enforce on the student's |
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| 25 | 30 | | behalf. |
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| 26 | 31 | | (b) The handbook must be: |
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| 27 | 32 | | (1) written in plain language; |
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| 28 | 33 | | (2) updated on an annual basis to reflect any relevant |
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| 29 | 34 | | changes in applicable law or agency guidance; and |
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| 30 | 35 | | (3) made publicly available in a searchable format on |
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| 31 | 36 | | the agency's Internet website. |
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| 32 | 37 | | SECTION 3. (a) Not later than January 1, 2026, the Texas |
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| 33 | 38 | | Education Agency shall create the parental rights in education |
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| 34 | 39 | | handbook required by Section 26.0025, Education Code, as added by |
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| 35 | 40 | | this Act. |
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| 36 | 41 | | (b) Not later than April 1, 2026, the State Board of |
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| 37 | 42 | | Education shall develop and make available the training required by |
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| 38 | 43 | | Section 11.159(b-2), Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 39 | 44 | | (c) Not later than September 1, 2026, a member of the board |
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| 40 | 45 | | of trustees of a school district who takes the oath of office before |
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| 41 | 46 | | January 1, 2026, shall complete the training on parental rights in |
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| 42 | 47 | | education required by Section 11.159(b-2), Education Code, as added |
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| 43 | 48 | | by this Act. |
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| 44 | 49 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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