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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to reporting on students not lawfully present in the |
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United States enrolled in a public school; creating a criminal |
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offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12.104(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to: |
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(1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal |
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offense; |
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(2) the provisions in Chapter 554, Government Code; |
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and |
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(3) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as |
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applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this |
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title, relating to: |
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(A) the Public Education Information Management |
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System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with |
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this subchapter as determined by the commissioner; |
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(B) criminal history records under Subchapter C, |
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Chapter 22; |
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(C) reading instruments and accelerated reading |
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instruction programs under Section 28.006; |
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(D) accelerated instruction under Section |
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28.0211; |
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(E) high school graduation requirements under |
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Section 28.025; |
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(F) special education programs under Subchapter |
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A, Chapter 29; |
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(G) bilingual education under Subchapter B, |
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Chapter 29; |
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(H) prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E |
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or E-1, Chapter 29, except class size limits for prekindergarten |
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classes imposed under Section 25.112, which do not apply; |
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(I) extracurricular activities under Section |
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33.081; |
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(J) discipline management practices or behavior |
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management techniques under Section 37.0021; |
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(K) health and safety under Chapter 38; |
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(L) the provisions of Subchapter A, Chapter 39; |
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(M) public school accountability and special |
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investigations under Subchapters A, B, C, D, F, G, and J, Chapter |
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39, and Chapter 39A; |
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(N) the requirement under Section 21.006 to |
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report an educator's misconduct; |
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(O) intensive programs of instruction under |
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Section 28.0213; |
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(P) the right of a school employee to report a |
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crime, as provided by Section 37.148; |
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(Q) bullying prevention policies and procedures |
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under Section 37.0832; |
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(R) the right of a school under Section 37.0052 |
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to place a student who has engaged in certain bullying behavior in a |
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disciplinary alternative education program or to expel the student; |
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(S) the right under Section 37.0151 to report to |
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local law enforcement certain conduct constituting assault or |
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harassment; |
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(T) a parent's right to information regarding the |
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provision of assistance for learning difficulties to the parent's |
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child as provided by Sections 26.004(b)(11) and 26.0081(c) and (d); |
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(U) establishment of residency under Section |
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25.001; |
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(V) school safety requirements under Sections |
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37.0814, 37.108, 37.1081, 37.1082, 37.1083, 37.1084, 37.1085, |
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37.1086, 37.109, 37.113, 37.114, 37.1141, 37.115, 37.207, and |
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37.2071 and Subchapter J, Chapter 37; |
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(W) the early childhood literacy and mathematics |
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proficiency plans under Section 11.185; |
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(X) the college, career, and military readiness |
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plans under Section 11.186; [and] |
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(Y) parental options to retain a student under |
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Section 28.02124; and |
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(Z) the requirement to collect and report |
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information under Section 25.0023. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 25, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 25.0023 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 25.0023. COLLECTION OF CITIZENSHIP OR IMMIGRATION |
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STATUS INFORMATION AS PART OF ENROLLMENT; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) In |
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this section, "student not lawfully present" means a student who is |
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not: |
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(1) a citizen or national of the United States; or |
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(2) an alien who is lawfully admitted for permanent |
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residence in the United States under the federal Immigration and |
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Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.). |
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(b) To the extent allowed by state or federal law, a school |
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district shall include on an enrollment form questions regarding |
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the citizenship or immigration status of the person seeking |
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admission to the district under Section 25.001. The form must |
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include a statement that the person's response to the questions |
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will not affect admission to the district. |
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(c) A school district that enrolls a person who does not |
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submit on the enrollment form answers to the questions described by |
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Subsection (b) shall place on the person's permanent school record |
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a designation of "no available citizenship or immigration status." |
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Documentation must be provided concerning immigration status with |
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proof of such. Reporting must include two distinct categories |
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regarding "students not lawfully present". Reporting must include |
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clear and separate numbers for a non-citizen who is not a national |
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of the United States and an alien who is lawfully admitted for |
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permanent residence in the United States. |
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(d) A school district shall prepare and submit to the agency |
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a quarterly report regarding: |
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(1) the number of students not lawfully present or |
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with a designation itemized by the categories in this Section |
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enrolled in the district; and |
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(2) for each student described by Subdivision (1): |
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(A) the cost of educating the student, including |
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costs associated with the need to hire additional classroom |
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teachers or other employees; and |
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(B) whether the student requires additional |
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services, including services for: |
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(i) a disability; or |
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(ii) the student's status as educationally |
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disadvantaged. |
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(e) A person commits an offense if the person: |
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(1) provides a false statement on the enrollment form |
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in answering the questions described by Subsection (b); or |
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(2) is an employee of a school district who enrolls a |
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student not lawfully present in the district without placing the |
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designation required by Subsection (c) on the student's permanent |
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school record. |
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(f) An offense under Subsection (e) is a Class A |
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misdemeanor. |
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(g) This section may not be construed to permit a school |
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district to consider a person's citizenship or immigration status |
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for purposes of admission. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |