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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an elective course on community safety, firearm safety, |
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and mental health for certain public high school students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.0121 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.0121. ELECTIVE COURSE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY, FIREARM |
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SAFETY, AND MENTAL HEALTH. (a) A school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school may offer to students in grade 12 an |
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elective course on community safety, firearm safety, and mental |
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health that meets the requirements for an elective credit under |
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Section 28.025. |
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(b) A course under this section must include: |
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(1) during the first half of the course for which a |
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student may earn one-half elective credit, instruction relating to: |
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(A) family violence prevention, including |
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relevant family violence education; |
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(B) sexual assault prevention, including |
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relevant sexual assault education; |
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(C) self-defense tactics; and |
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(D) mental health education; and |
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(2) during the second half of the course for which a |
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student may earn one-half elective credit: |
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(A) instruction relating to firearm safety, |
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including relevant firearm education; |
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(B) information on state and federal laws |
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governing the use of firearms; and |
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(C) information contained in the classroom |
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instruction portion of the handgun proficiency course described by |
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Section 411.188, Government Code. |
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(c) A student may not enroll in the second half of a course |
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under this section unless the student has satisfactorily completed |
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the first half of the course. |
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(d) If during the course of instruction, a student enrolled |
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in a course under this section discloses to a teacher that the |
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student has been a victim of or is experiencing issues relating to |
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family violence, sexual assault, or mental health, the teacher |
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shall provide the student with information regarding appropriately |
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licensed health professionals. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2024-2025 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |