BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 810 89R5513 BCH-D By: Hughes State Affairs 2/28/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT S.B. 810 amends Chapter 22 (School District Employees and Volunteers) of the Education Code to prohibit a school district or charter school from disciplining, retaliating against, or otherwise discriminating against an employee for addressing a student or other employee in terms consistent with the biological sex of the student or employee. The bill applies to all public school employees but usually will involve teacher communication with students. There are several important reasons for this legislation. A teacher (or other public school employee) may have a moral or religious objection to addressing a student in terms inconsistent with the student's biological sex. Second, the teacher may have an ethical objection to addressing a student in a manner inconsistent with the student's biological sex. The teacher may feel that this only will intensify the dysphoria that the student is experiencing. Third, there are simply practical considerations. A search with the question "How many genders are there?" finds one source that says 72. Another source says 20. Yet another source says 107. Teachers cannot do their jobs in the classroom and keep up with the language that surrounds each of these categories. S.B. 810 helps teachers stay focused on instruction by addressing these moral, ethical, and practical considerations related to communication in the classroom. As proposed, S.B. 810 amends current law relating to protection for a public school employee's use of terms consistent with biological sex. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 22, Education Code, by adding Section 22.905, as follows: Sec. 22.905. PROTECTION FOR USE OF TERMS CONSISTENT WITH BIOLOGICAL SEX. Prohibits a school district or open-enrollment charter school from disciplining, retaliating against, or otherwise discriminating against a district or school employee who addresses a student or another district or school employee in terms consistent with the biological sex of the student or employee. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 810
89R5513 BCH-D By: Hughes
State Affairs
2/28/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 810
89R5513 BCH-D
By: Hughes
State Affairs
2/28/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
S.B. 810 amends Chapter 22 (School District Employees and Volunteers) of the Education Code to prohibit a school district or charter school from disciplining, retaliating against, or otherwise discriminating against an employee for addressing a student or other employee in terms consistent with the biological sex of the student or employee. The bill applies to all public school employees but usually will involve teacher communication with students.
There are several important reasons for this legislation. A teacher (or other public school employee) may have a moral or religious objection to addressing a student in terms inconsistent with the student's biological sex.
Second, the teacher may have an ethical objection to addressing a student in a manner inconsistent with the student's biological sex. The teacher may feel that this only will intensify the dysphoria that the student is experiencing.
Third, there are simply practical considerations. A search with the question "How many genders are there?" finds one source that says 72. Another source says 20. Yet another source says 107. Teachers cannot do their jobs in the classroom and keep up with the language that surrounds each of these categories.
S.B. 810 helps teachers stay focused on instruction by addressing these moral, ethical, and practical considerations related to communication in the classroom.
As proposed, S.B. 810 amends current law relating to protection for a public school employee's use of terms consistent with biological sex.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 22, Education Code, by adding Section 22.905, as follows:
Sec. 22.905. PROTECTION FOR USE OF TERMS CONSISTENT WITH BIOLOGICAL SEX. Prohibits a school district or open-enrollment charter school from disciplining, retaliating against, or otherwise discriminating against a district or school employee who addresses a student or another district or school employee in terms consistent with the biological sex of the student or employee.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.