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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the notification of parents of students enrolled in |
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public school regarding certain alleged criminal conduct by an |
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employee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 22, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 22.088 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 22.088. NOTICE TO PARENTS REGARDING CERTAIN EMPLOYEE |
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CRIMINAL CONDUCT. (a) This section applies to an offense: |
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(1) for which a conviction or grant of deferred |
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adjudication community supervision requires the defendant to |
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register as a sex offender under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure; |
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(2) under Title 5, Penal Code, if the victim of the |
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offense was under 18 years of age at the time the offense was |
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committed; or |
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(3) under Section 43.24, Penal Code. |
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(b) Not later than the second school day after a school |
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district or open-enrollment charter school becomes aware that an |
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employee of the district or school has been charged with an offense |
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to which this section applies, the district or school shall notify |
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the parent or guardian of each student enrolled at the campus at |
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which the employee is employed of the charged offense. The notice |
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must include: |
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(1) the employee's name and position; |
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(2) whether the employee continues to be employed at |
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the district or school; |
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(3) the length of the employee's employment with the |
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district or school; |
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(4) the offense for which the employee is being |
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charged; and |
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(5) a statement that, under state and federal law, a |
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person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. |
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(c) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may |
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include in the notice under Subsection (b) additional information |
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regarding underlying facts or circumstances relating to the charged |
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offense but may not disclose the identity of the alleged victim. |
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(d) The commissioner by rule shall establish guidelines for |
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providing notice under Subsection (b) during a period in which the |
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school district or open-enrollment charter school is closed. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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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, 2025. |