bill requiring healthy relationships education in every school

The text as introduced · 952 words

89R995 KJE-F

By: González of El Paso
H.B. No. 1272

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to healthy relationships education in public schools.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 28.0041 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.0041. HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION. (a) In

this section, "age-appropriate" means suitable to particular ages

or age groups of children or adolescents, based on developing

cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age

or age group.

(b) A school district shall provide healthy relationships

education in accordance with this section at grade levels and in

courses specified by the State Board of Education.

(c) The State Board of Education by rule shall adopt the

essential knowledge and skills for curricula to be used by a school

district in providing healthy relationships education under this

section that are age-appropriate and supported by research that is

peer-reviewed, conducted in compliance with accepted scientific

methods, and recognized as accurate by leading professional

organizations and agencies with relevant experience. As

age-appropriate, the curricula must promote relationship,

communication, and decision-making skills, including strategies

to:

(1) develop healthy, age-appropriate relationships;

(2) develop healthy life skills, including critical

thinking, problem solving, effective communication, and

responsible decision making about relationships; and

(3) promote effective communication between

adolescents and their parents, legal guardians, or other family

members about relationships.

(d) A school district shall make all curriculum materials

used in the district's healthy relationships education available

for reasonable public inspection.

(e) A student shall be excused from healthy relationships

education on the written request of a parent or legal guardian

without being subjected to any disciplinary action, academic

penalty, or other sanction imposed by the school district or the

student's school.

(f) A parent or legal guardian may use the grievance

procedure adopted under Section 26.011 concerning a complaint of a

violation of this section.

(g) Before each school year, a school district shall provide

written notice to a parent or legal guardian of each student

enrolled in the district of the intent to provide healthy

relationships education under this section. The notice must

include:

(1) a summary of the basic content of the healthy

relationships education to be provided to the student;

(2) a description of the curricula requirements for

healthy relationships education under Subsection (c);

(3) a statement of the parent's or legal guardian's

right to:

(A) review curriculum materials as provided by

Subsection (d);

(B) remove the student from any part of the

district's healthy relationships education as provided by

Subsection (e); and

(C) use the grievance procedure adopted under

Section 26.011 concerning a complaint of a violation of this

section, as provided by Subsection (f); and

(4) information regarding any opportunities for the

parent or legal guardian to participate in the development of

curricula for healthy relationships education.

SECTION 2. Section 12.104(b), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to:

(1) a provision of this title establishing a criminal

offense;

(2) the provisions in Chapter 554, Government Code;

and

(3) a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as

applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this

title, relating to:

(A) the Public Education Information Management

System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with

this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;

(B) criminal history records under Subchapter C,

Chapter 22;

(C) reading instruments and accelerated reading

instruction programs under Section 28.006;

(D) accelerated instruction under Section

28.0211;

(E) high school graduation requirements under

Section 28.025;

(F) special education programs under Subchapter

A, Chapter 29;

(G) bilingual education under Subchapter B,

Chapter 29;

(H) prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E

or E-1, Chapter 29, except class size limits for prekindergarten

classes imposed under Section 25.112, which do not apply;

(I) extracurricular activities under Section

33.081;

(J) discipline management practices or behavior

management techniques under Section 37.0021;

(K) health and safety under Chapter 38;

(L) the provisions of Subchapter A, Chapter 39;

(M) public school accountability and special

investigations under Subchapters A, B, C, D, F, G, and J, Chapter

39, and Chapter 39A;

(N) the requirement under Section 21.006 to

report an educator's misconduct;

(O) intensive programs of instruction under

Section 28.0213;

(P) the right of a school employee to report a

crime, as provided by Section 37.148;

(Q) bullying prevention policies and procedures

under Section 37.0832;

(R) the right of a school under Section 37.0052

to place a student who has engaged in certain bullying behavior in a

disciplinary alternative education program or to expel the student;

(S) the right under Section 37.0151 to report to

local law enforcement certain conduct constituting assault or

harassment;

(T) a parent's right to information regarding the

provision of assistance for learning difficulties to the parent's

child as provided by Sections 26.004(b)(11) and 26.0081(c) and (d);

(U) establishment of residency under Section

25.001;

(V) school safety requirements under Sections

37.0814, 37.108, 37.1081, 37.1082, 37.1083, 37.1084, 37.1085,

37.1086, 37.109, 37.113, 37.114, 37.1141, 37.115, 37.207, and

37.2071 and Subchapter J, Chapter 37;

(W) the early childhood literacy and mathematics

proficiency plans under Section 11.185;

(X) the college, career, and military readiness

plans under Section 11.186; [ and ]

(Y) parental options to retain a student under

Section 28.02124 ; and

(Z) healthy relationships education under

Section 28.0041 .

SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2026-2027

school year.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.