The House Public Education Committee called a formal meeting Monday, May 3, to vote 14 bills out of committee. These bills will now go to the full House for consideration. The Senate bills listed have already been passed by that chamber.
- CSHB 3979 by Rep. Steve Toth requires the SBOE to adopt civic knowledge and skills requirements in the social studies curriculum, including the fundamental moral, political, and intellectual foundations of the American experiment in self-government. The substitute is a legislative council draft.
- HB 1417 by Rep. Sam Harless provides certain permissive guidelines for campus improvement plans, including violence prevention and intervention programs and parental involvement programs.
- HB 4023 by Rep. Armando Martinez establishes a life skills counselor pilot program as a strategy for addressing emotional and mental health concerns of students in Hidalgo County.
- HCR 85 by Rep. James Talarico designates the first Friday in May as Career and Technical Education Letter of Intent Signing Day.
- SB 203 by Sen. Charles Schwertner requires the UIL to issue RFPs from institutions of higher education and other entities seeking to host statewide competitions during the year or years specified in the RFPs. The requirement would apply for statewide competitions held on or after September 1, 2022.
- SB 289 by Sen. Kel Seliger permits a school district to adopt procedures to allow for a student 15 years or older to receive an excused absence if they can verify their absence was due to obtaining or attempting to obtain a driver’s license permit. The bill limits this provision to one excused absence for a learner’s permit appointment and one excused absence for a driver’s license appointment.
- SB 338 by Sen. Beverly Powell allows school districts the ability to adopt uniform general conditions to be incorporated in their building construction contracts.
- SB 481 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst allows a student enrolled in a school district offering exclusively virtual instruction to transfer to another school district offering in-person instruction during the school year.
- SB 89 by Sen. Jose Menendez (HB 144 by Rep. Mary Gonzalez) requires the addition of a written supplement to a student’s IEP plan.
- SB 204 by Schwertner (HB 3129 by Rep. Dan Huberty) would allow a school district to transport any student who is enrolled in the district, regardless where the student lives, and would not require an interlocal agreement to do so.
- SB 1615 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (HB 1942 by Rep. Gary VanDeaver) modifies the Adult High School Diploma and Industry Certification Charter School Program and redesignate the program as the Adult High School Charter Program.
- CSHB 204 by Rep. Shawn Thierry requires school districts to provide access to a panic alert device in every classroom in order to allow for direct and easy contact of law enforcement. CSHB 204 removes references to multi-hazard emergency operation plans; clarifies each classroom will still have access to a phone or other electronic communication device; clarifies school districts may utilize funds from the school safety allotment and may use their customary procurement procedures to implement panic alert devices; provides an opt-out procedure for schools without the funds to implement panic alert devices.
- CSHB 24 by Rep. Alex Dominguez requires each school district to have at least one inclusive and accessible park for students with disabilities. There is a rider in the budget for the fiscal note.
- SB 1776 by Sen. Donna Campbell would require districts to offer an elective course on the founding principles of the United States in the curriculum for public high school students and the posting of the founding documents. The bill encourages the posting of some founding documents on high school campuses.
