Perry’s bill rewriting school discipline rules

The text as introduced · 4,858 words

89R4082 MEW-D

By: Perry, Creighton, Sparks
S.B. No. 1871

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to discipline management, including the offense of

exhibiting, using, or threatening to exhibit or use a firearm or

weapon in or on school property or on a school bus, and access to

telehealth mental health services in public schools.

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

SECTION 1. Section 12A.004(a), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) A local innovation plan may not provide for the

exemption of a district designated as a district of innovation from

the following provisions of this title:

(1) a state or federal requirement applicable to an

open-enrollment charter school operating under Subchapter D,

Chapter 12;

(2) Subchapters A, C, D, and E, Chapter 11, except that

a district may be exempt from Sections 11.1511(b)(5) and (14) and

Section 11.162;

(3) state curriculum and graduation requirements

adopted under Chapter 28;

(4) Chapter 37; and

(5) [ (4) ] academic and financial accountability and

sanctions under Chapters 39 and 39A.

SECTION 2. Section 37.0012, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and (b-1) to

read as follows:

(a) A single person at each campus must be designated to

serve as the campus behavior coordinator. The person designated

may be the principal of the campus or any other campus administrator

selected by the principal.

(a-1) Additional school staff members may assist the campus

behavior coordinator in the performance of the campus behavior

coordinator's duties, provided that the campus behavior

coordinator personally verifies that all aspects of this subchapter

are appropriately implemented.

(b-1) The campus behavior coordinator shall:

(1) monitor disciplinary referrals;

(2) report to the campus's threat assessment and safe

and supportive school team established under Section 37.115 any

student who engages in conduct that contains the elements of:

(A) the offense of terroristic threat under

Section 22.07, Penal Code;

(B) the offense of unlawfully carrying weapons

under Section 46.02, Penal Code;

(C) an offense relating to prohibited weapons

under Section 46.05, Penal Code; or

(D) the offense of exhibiting, using, or

threatening to exhibit or use a firearm or weapon under Section

37.125 of this code; and

(3) report to the campus's threat assessment and safe

and supportive school team established under Section 37.115 any

concerning student behaviors or behavioral trends that may pose a

serious risk of violence to the student or others.

SECTION 3. Section 37.002, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (b), (c), and (d) and adding Subsections

(b-2), (b-3), (f), and (g) to read as follows:

(b) A teacher may remove from class a student who :

(1) interferes [ who has been documented by the teacher

to repeatedly interfere ] with the teacher's ability to communicate

effectively with the students in the class or with the ability of

the student's classmates to learn; [ or ]

(2) demonstrates [ whose ] behavior that is unruly,

disruptive, or abusive toward the teacher , another adult, or

another student; or

(3) engages in conduct that constitutes bullying, as

defined by Section 37.0832 [ determines is so unruly, disruptive, or

abusive that it seriously interferes with the teacher's ability to

communicate effectively with the students in the class or with the

ability of the student's classmates to learn ].

(b-2) A teacher, campus behavior coordinator, or other

appropriate administrator shall notify a parent or person standing

in parental relation to a student of the removal of a student under

this section.

(b-3) Subject to Sections 28.0022(a)(2) and (d), a teacher

may remove a student from class under Subsection (b) of this section

based on a single incident of behavior described by Subsection

(b)(1), (2), or (3).

(c) If a teacher removes a student from class under

Subsection (b), the principal may place the student into another

appropriate classroom, into in-school suspension, or into a

disciplinary alternative education program as provided by Section

37.008. The principal may not return the student to that teacher's

class without the teacher's written consent unless the committee

established under Section 37.003 determines that such placement is

the best or only alternative available and, not later than the third

class day after the day on which the student was removed from class,

a conference in which the teacher has been provided an opportunity

to participate has been held in accordance with Section 37.009(a).

The principal may not return the student to that teacher's class,

regardless of the teacher's consent, until a return to class plan

has been prepared for that student. The principal may only

designate an employee of the school whose primary duties do not

include classroom instruction to create a return to class plan . The

terms of the removal may prohibit the student from attending or

participating in school-sponsored or school-related activity.

(d) A teacher shall remove from class and send to the

principal for placement in a disciplinary alternative education

program or for expulsion, as appropriate, a student who engages in

conduct described under Section 37.006 or 37.007. The student may

not be returned to that teacher's class without the teacher's

written consent unless the committee established under Section

37.003 determines that such placement is the best or only

alternative available and a conference in which the teacher has

been provided an opportunity to participate has been held in

accordance with Section 37.009(a) . If the teacher removed the

student from class because the student has engaged in the elements

of any offense listed in [ Section 37.006(a)(2)(B) or ] Section

37.007(a)(2)(A) or (a)(4) [ (b)(2)(C) ] against the teacher, the

student may not be returned to the teacher's class without the

teacher's consent. The teacher may not be coerced to consent.

(f) A student may appeal the student's removal from class

under this section to:

(1) the school's placement review committee

established under Section 37.003; or

(2) the campus's threat assessment and safe and

supportive school team established under Section 37.115, in

accordance with a district policy providing for such an appeal to be

made to the team.

(g) Section 37.004 applies to the removal or placement under

this section of a student with a disability who receives special

education services.

SECTION 4. Sections 37.005(a) and (b), Education Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) The principal or other appropriate administrator may

suspend a student who engages in conduct identified in the student

code of conduct adopted under Section 37.001 as conduct for which a

student may be subject to an in-school or out-of-school suspension

[ suspended ].

(b) An out-of-school [ A ] suspension under this section may

not exceed three school days. An in-school suspension under this

section is not subject to any time limit.

SECTION 5. Sections 37.006(a) and (b), Education Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) Subject to the requirements of Section 37.009(a), a

student shall be removed from class and placed in a disciplinary

alternative education program as provided by Section 37.008 if the

student:

(1) engages in conduct involving a public school that

contains the elements of the offense of false alarm or report under

Section 42.06, Penal Code, or terroristic threat under Section

22.07, Penal Code; or

(2) commits the following on or within 300 feet of

school property, as measured from any point on the school's real

property boundary line, or while attending a school-sponsored or

school-related activity on or off of school property:

(A) engages in conduct punishable as a felony;

(B) engages in conduct that contains the elements

of the offense of assault under Section 22.01(a)(1), Penal Code;

(C) except as provided by Section 37.007(a)(3),

sells, gives, or delivers to another person or possesses or uses or

is under the influence of:

(i) a controlled substance, as defined by

Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. Section 801 et

seq., excluding marihuana, as defined by Section 481.002, Health

and Safety Code, or tetrahydrocannabinol, as defined by rule

adopted under Section 481.003 of that code; or

(ii) a dangerous drug, as defined by

Chapter 483, Health and Safety Code;

(C-1) possesses, uses, or is under the influence

of, or sells, gives, or delivers to another person marihuana, as

defined by Section 481.002, Health and Safety Code, or

tetrahydrocannabinol, as defined by rule adopted under Section

481.003 of that code;

(C-2) possesses, uses, sells, gives, or delivers

to another person an e-cigarette, as defined by Section 161.081,

Health and Safety Code;

(D) sells, gives, or delivers to another person

an alcoholic beverage, as defined by Section 1.04, Alcoholic

Beverage Code, commits a serious act or offense while under the

influence of alcohol, or possesses, uses, or is under the influence

of an alcoholic beverage;

(E) engages in conduct that contains the elements

of an offense relating to an abusable volatile chemical under

Sections 485.031 through 485.034, Health and Safety Code;

(F) engages in conduct that contains the elements

of the offense of public lewdness under Section 21.07, Penal Code,

or indecent exposure under Section 21.08, Penal Code; [ or ]

(G) engages in conduct that contains the elements

of the offense of disorderly conduct [ harassment ] under Section

42.01 [ 42.07(a)(1), (2), (3), or (7) ], Penal Code , unless

Subsection (f) of that section applies to the student and the

student's conduct;

(H) engages in conduct that contains the elements

of the offense of disruptive activities under Section 37.123 of

this code;

(I) engages in conduct that contains the elements

of the offense of disruption of classes under Section 37.124 of this

code, unless Subsection (d) of that section applies to the student;

or

(J) engages in conduct described by Section

37.002(b) and the student was previously removed from class at the

same school under that subsection for similar behavior [ , against

an employee of the school district ].

(b) A [ Except as provided by Section 37.007(d), a ] student

shall be removed from class and placed in a disciplinary

alternative education program under Section 37.008 if the student

engages in conduct on or off of school property against any school

employee or volunteer as defined by Section 22.053 that contains

the elements of the offense of :

(1) retaliation under Section 36.06, Penal Code ; or

(2) harassment under Section 42.07, Penal Code [ ,

against any school employee ].

SECTION 6. Sections 37.007(a) and (b), Education Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (k) and subject to the

requirements of Section 37.009(a), a student shall be expelled from

a school if the student, [ on school property or while attending a

school-sponsored or school-related activity ] on or off of school

property:

(1) engages in conduct that contains the elements of

the offense of unlawfully carrying weapons under Section 46.02,

Penal Code, or elements of an offense relating to prohibited

weapons under Section 46.05, Penal Code;

(2) engages in conduct that contains the elements of

the offense of:

(A) aggravated assault under Section 22.02,

Penal Code, sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal Code, or

aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021, Penal Code;

(B) arson under Section 28.02, Penal Code;

(C) murder under Section 19.02, Penal Code,

capital murder under Section 19.03, Penal Code, or criminal

attempt, under Section 15.01, Penal Code, to commit murder or

capital murder;

(D) indecency with a child under Section 21.11,

Penal Code;

(E) kidnapping under Section 20.03, Penal Code,

or aggravated kidnapping under Section 20.04, Penal Code;

(F) burglary under Section 30.02, Penal Code,

robbery under Section 29.02, Penal Code, or aggravated robbery

under Section 29.03, Penal Code;

(G) manslaughter under Section 19.04, Penal

Code;

(H) criminally negligent homicide under Section

19.05, Penal Code; or

(I) continuous sexual abuse of young child or

disabled individual under Section 21.02, Penal Code; [ or ]

(3) engages in conduct specified by Section

37.006(a)(2)(C), if the conduct is punishable as a felony ;

(4) engages in conduct that contains the elements of

an offense under Section 22.01(a)(1), Penal Code, against a school

district employee or a volunteer as defined by Section 22.053 of

this code; or

(5) engages in conduct that constitutes the offense of

exhibiting, using, or threatening to exhibit or use a firearm or

weapon under Section 37.125 of this code .

(b) A student may be expelled if the student:

(1) engages in conduct involving a public school that

contains the elements of the offense of false alarm or report under

Section 42.06, Penal Code, or terroristic threat under Section

22.07, Penal Code;

(2) while on or within 300 feet of school property, as

measured from any point on the school's real property boundary

line, or while attending a school-sponsored or school-related

activity on or off of school property:

(A) except as provided by Subsection (a)(3),

sells, gives, or delivers to another person or possesses, uses, or

is under the influence of any amount of:

(i) marihuana or a controlled substance, as

defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C.

Section 801 et seq.;

(ii) a dangerous drug, as defined by

Chapter 483, Health and Safety Code; or

(iii) an alcoholic beverage, as defined by

Section 1.04, Alcoholic Beverage Code;

(B) engages in conduct that contains the elements

of an offense relating to an abusable volatile chemical under

Sections 485.031 through 485.034, Health and Safety Code; or

(C) [ engages in conduct that contains the

elements of an offense under Section 22.01(a)(1), Penal Code,

against a school district employee or a volunteer as defined by

Section 22.053; or

[ (D) ] engages in conduct that contains the

elements of the offense of deadly conduct under Section 22.05,

Penal Code;

(3) [ subject to Subsection (d), ] while within 300 feet

of school property, as measured from any point on the school's real

property boundary line , [ :

[ (A) engages in conduct specified by Subsection

(a); or

[ (B) ] possesses a firearm, as defined by 18

U.S.C. Section 921;

[ (4) engages in conduct that contains the elements of

any offense listed in Subsection (a)(2)(A) or (C) or the offense of

aggravated robbery under Section 29.03, Penal Code, against another

student, without regard to whether the conduct occurs on or off of

school property or while attending a school-sponsored or

school-related activity on or off of school property; ] or

(4) [ (5) ] engages in conduct that contains the

elements of the offense of breach of computer security under

Section 33.02, Penal Code, if:

(A) the conduct involves accessing a computer,

computer network, or computer system owned by or operated on behalf

of a school district; and

(B) the student knowingly:

(i) alters, damages, or deletes school

district property or information; or

(ii) commits a breach of any other

computer, computer network, or computer system.

SECTION 7. Sections 37.011(b), (h), and (k), Education

Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) If a student admitted into the public schools of a

school district under Section 25.001(b) is expelled from school for

conduct for which expulsion is required under Section 37.007(a)[ ,

(d), ] or (e), or for conduct that contains the elements of the

offense of terroristic threat as described by Section 22.07(c-1),

(d), or (e), Penal Code, the juvenile court, the juvenile board, or

the juvenile board's designee, as appropriate, shall:

(1) if the student is placed on probation under

Section 54.04, Family Code, order the student to attend the

juvenile justice alternative education program in the county in

which the student resides from the date of disposition as a

condition of probation, unless the child is placed in a

post-adjudication treatment facility;

(2) if the student is placed on deferred prosecution

under Section 53.03, Family Code, by the court, prosecutor, or

probation department, require the student to immediately attend the

juvenile justice alternative education program in the county in

which the student resides for a period not to exceed six months as a

condition of the deferred prosecution;

(3) in determining the conditions of the deferred

prosecution or court-ordered probation, consider the length of the

school district's expulsion order for the student; and

(4) provide timely educational services to the student

in the juvenile justice alternative education program in the county

in which the student resides, regardless of the student's age or

whether the juvenile court has jurisdiction over the student.

(h) Academically, the mission of juvenile justice

alternative education programs shall be to enable students to

perform at grade level. For purposes of accountability under

Chapters 39 and 39A, a student enrolled in a juvenile justice

alternative education program is reported as if the student were

enrolled at the student's assigned campus in the student's

regularly assigned education program, including a special

education program. Annually the Texas Juvenile Justice

Department, with the agreement of the commissioner, shall develop

and implement a system of accountability consistent with Chapters

39 and 39A, where appropriate, to assure that students make

progress toward grade level while attending a juvenile justice

alternative education program. The department shall adopt rules

for the distribution of funds appropriated under this section to

juvenile boards in counties required to establish juvenile justice

alternative education programs. Except as determined by the

commissioner, a student served by a juvenile justice alternative

education program on the basis of an expulsion required under

Section 37.007(a)[ , (d), ] or (e) is not eligible for Foundation

School Program funding under Chapter 31 or 48 if the juvenile

justice alternative education program receives funding from the

department under this subchapter.

(k) Each school district in a county with a population

greater than 125,000 and the county juvenile board shall annually

enter into a joint memorandum of understanding that:

(1) outlines the responsibilities of the juvenile

board concerning the establishment and operation of a juvenile

justice alternative education program under this section;

(2) defines the amount and conditions on payments from

the school district to the juvenile board for students of the school

district served in the juvenile justice alternative education

program whose placement was not made on the basis of an expulsion

required under Section 37.007(a)[ , (d), ] or (e);

(3) establishes that a student may be placed in the

juvenile justice alternative education program if the student

engages in serious misbehavior, as defined by Section 37.007(c);

(4) identifies and requires a timely placement and

specifies a term of placement for expelled students for whom the

school district has received a notice under Section 52.041(d),

Family Code;

(5) establishes services for the transitioning of

expelled students to the school district prior to the completion of

the student's placement in the juvenile justice alternative

education program;

(6) establishes a plan that provides transportation

services for students placed in the juvenile justice alternative

education program;

(7) establishes the circumstances and conditions

under which a juvenile may be allowed to remain in the juvenile

justice alternative education program setting once the juvenile is

no longer under juvenile court jurisdiction; and

(8) establishes a plan to address special education

services required by law.

SECTION 8. Section 37.015(a), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) The principal of a public or private primary or

secondary school, or a person designated by the principal under

Subsection (d), shall notify any school district police department

and the police department of the municipality in which the school is

located or, if the school is not in a municipality, the sheriff of

the county in which the school is located if the principal has

reasonable grounds to believe that any of the following activities

occur in school, on school property, or at a school-sponsored or

school-related activity on or off school property, whether or not

the activity is investigated by school security officers:

(1) conduct that may constitute an offense listed

under Section 508.149, Government Code;

(2) deadly conduct under Section 22.05, Penal Code;

(3) a terroristic threat under Section 22.07, Penal

Code;

(4) the use, sale, or possession of a controlled

substance, drug paraphernalia, or marihuana under Chapter 481,

Health and Safety Code;

(5) the possession of any of the weapons or devices

listed under Sections 46.01(1)-(14) or Section 46.01(16), Penal

Code;

(6) conduct that may constitute a criminal offense

under Section 71.02, Penal Code; or

(7) conduct that may constitute a criminal offense for

which a student may be expelled under Section 37.007(a)[ , (d), ] or

(e).

SECTION 9. Section 37.019, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as

follows:

(a) This subchapter does not prevent the principal or the

principal's designee from ordering the immediate placement of a

student in a disciplinary alternative education program if the

principal or the principal's designee reasonably believes the

student's behavior is [ so ] unruly, disruptive, or abusive and [ that

it seriously ] interferes with a teacher's ability to communicate

effectively with the students in a class, with the ability of the

student's classmates to learn, or with the operation of school or a

school-sponsored activity.

(b-1) The principal or principal's designee may order the

emergency placement or expulsion of a student under this section

based on a single incident of behavior by the student.

SECTION 10. Subchapter A, Chapter 37, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 37.028 to read as follows:

Sec. 37.028. PENALTIES FOR IMPOSITION OF DISCIPLINARY

MEASURES PROHIBITED. (a) The agency may not withhold any state

funding or impose a penalty on a school district based on the number

of students in the district that have been removed from a classroom,

placed into in-school or out-of-school suspension, placed in a

disciplinary alternative education program or a juvenile justice

alternative education program, or expelled.

(b) This section may not be construed to limit the agency

from taking any action to enforce requirements under federal law

related to a determination of significant disproportionality based

on the race and ethnicity of students with disabilities.

SECTION 11. Section 37.115(d), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(d) The superintendent of the district shall ensure, to the

greatest extent practicable, that the members appointed to each

team have expertise in counseling, behavior management, mental

health and substance use, classroom instruction, special

education, school administration, school safety and security,

emergency management, and law enforcement. A team may serve more

than one campus of a school district, provided that :

(1) each district campus is assigned a team ; and

(2) in serving a particular campus, the team includes

the person designated to serve as the campus behavior coordinator

under Section 37.0012 for that campus .

SECTION 12. The heading to Section 37.125, Education Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 37.125. EXHIBITION, USE, OR THREAT OF EXHIBITION OR

USE OF FIREARMS OR WEAPONS .

SECTION 13. Section 37.125, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as

follows:

(a) A person commits an offense if, in a manner intended to

cause alarm or personal injury to another person or to damage school

property, the person intentionally:

(1) exhibits or uses a firearm or weapon :

(A) in or on any property, including a parking

lot, parking garage, or other parking area, that is owned by a

private or public school; or

(B) on a school bus being used to transport

children to or from school-sponsored activities of a private or

public school;

(2) threatens to exhibit or use a firearm or weapon in

or on property described by Subdivision (1)(A) or on a bus described

by Subdivision (1)(B) and was in possession of or had immediate

access to the firearm or weapon ; or

(3) threatens to exhibit or use a firearm or weapon in

or on property described by Subdivision (1)(A) or on a bus described

by Subdivision (1)(B).

(d) In this section, "weapon" means any weapon described

under Section 37.007(a)(1).

SECTION 14. Subchapter F, Chapter 38, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 38.2545 to read as follows:

Sec. 38.2545. TEXAS CHILD HEALTH ACCESS THROUGH

TELEMEDICINE. (a) In this section:

(1) "Consortium" means the Texas Child Mental Health

Care Consortium established under Chapter 113, Health and Safety

Code.

(2) "Program" means the Texas Child Health Access

through Telemedicine program operated by the consortium.

(b) If the consortium makes available mental health

services to a school district through the program, the district

shall offer to each student enrolled in the district access to those

mental health services.

(c) A school district may not provide a mental health

service to a student who is younger than 18 years of age unless the

district obtains written consent from the parent or legal guardian

of the student as required by Section 113.0152, Health and Safety

Code.

(d) A school district may not:

(1) require a student to participate in any service

provided under Subsection (b); or

(2) allow a student who is younger than 18 years of age

to participate in any component of the program that involves mental

health education or screening unless the district obtains signed

written consent from the student's parent or legal guardian.

(e) Before the beginning of each school year, the agency

shall determine at which school districts the program is available

and verify that each of those school districts is in compliance with

Subsection (b).

(f) The Texas Child Health Access through Telemedicine

program is not considered a "school official with a legitimate

educational interest" for purposes of the Family Educational Rights

and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). A school

district may not share records relating to a student with the

program unless the district obtains written consent from the

student, or the parent or legal guardian of the student, if the

student is younger than 18 years of age.

(g) The program shall maintain, provide to each school

district at which the program is available, and post on the

consortium's website:

(1) a list of health providers to which the program

refers participants; and

(2) the process used by the program in vetting

providers described by Subdivision (1).

SECTION 15. Section 113.0251, Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 113.0251. BIENNIAL REPORT. Not later than December 1

of each even-numbered year, the consortium shall prepare and submit

to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house

of representatives, and the standing committee of each house of the

legislature with primary jurisdiction over behavioral health

issues and post on its Internet website a written report that

outlines:

(1) the activities and objectives of the consortium;

(2) the health-related institutions of higher

education listed in Section 113.0052(1) that receive funding by the

executive committee;

(3) during the preceding two years, the percentage of

participants in the Texas Child Health Access through Telemedicine

program operated by the consortium:

(A) who were prescribed a psychotropic drug;

(B) who were transported to an emergency room or

psychiatric hospital for mental health services or observation;

(C) who were referred to a health provider for

further mental health services;

(D) who completed the requisite number of

appointments offered to the participant by the program; and

(E) for whom the participant's parent or legal

guardian consented to the participant's participation in research;

(4) during the preceding two years, the percentage of

potential participants for whom a parent or legal guardian declined

to give informed consent to participate in the program; and

(5) [ (3) ] any legislative recommendations based on

the activities and objectives described by Subdivision (1).

SECTION 16. Sections 37.007(d) and (i), Education Code, are

repealed.

SECTION 17. Section 12A.004(a), Education Code, as amended

by this Act, applies to a local innovation plan adopted or renewed

before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 18. Notwithstanding Sections 38.2545(d)(2) and

(f), Education Code, as added by this Act, a school district must

comply with the requirements of those provisions and update consent

forms and documents as necessary for compliance as soon as

practicable after the effective date of this Act but not later than

December 1, 2025.

SECTION 19. Sections 37.0012, 37.002, 37.005, 37.006,

37.007, 37.011, 37.015, 37.019, and 37.115, Education Code, as

amended by this Act, and Sections 37.028 and 38.2545, Education

Code, as added by this Act, apply beginning with the 2025-2026

school year.

SECTION 20. Section 37.125, Education Code, as amended by

this Act, applies only to an offense committed on or after September

1, 2025. An offense committed before September 1, 2025, is governed

by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the

former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of

this section, an offense was committed before September 1, 2025, if

any element of the offense occurred before that date.

SECTION 21. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of

this section, 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.

(b) Section 37.125, Education Code, as amended by this Act,

takes effect September 1, 2025.