SB 2691
bill requiring grief instruction in grades 8 through 12
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to grief instruction in public schools.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Part of health class. Symptoms, coping techniques and support resources.
The bill orders the State Board of Education to require every school district to teach students in grades 8 through 12 about grief as part of the health curriculum. It touches public school students, their districts, and the State Board, which must write standards covering grief symptoms, coping techniques, and available support resources such as counseling and therapy. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, grief instruction becomes a required part of middle and high school health classes.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the Senate Education K-16 committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB2691 · 2025-03-13
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to grief instruction in public schools.
WHAT IT DOES
Part of health class. Symptoms, coping techniques and support resources.
The bill orders the State Board of Education to require every school district to teach students in grades 8 through 12 about grief as part of the health curriculum. It touches public school students, their districts, and the State Board, which must write standards covering grief symptoms, coping techniques, and available support resources such as counseling and therapy. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, grief instruction becomes a required part of middle and high school health classes.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Education K-16
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Top donors to Texans for Kelly Hancock SPAC during his Senate service. Not tied to this bill.
Sources
Gifts to Texans for Kelly Hancock SPAC dated July 1, 2024 to June 18, 2025, while he served in the Senate.
Derived from itemized gifts. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025
04/03/2025 S Referred to Education K-16
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
HB 4871 by McQueeney (identical)
Subjects
Education--Primary & Secondary--Curriculum
Mental Health & Substance Abuse
EDUCATION, STATE BOARD OF
Text
The text as introduced · 221 words
89R12435 KRM-D By: Hancock S.B. No. 2691 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to grief instruction 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 28.019 to read as follows: Sec. 28.019. INSTRUCTION ON GRIEF. (a) The State Board of Education by rule shall require each school district to require students enrolled in grades 8 through 12 to complete instruction on grief under the district's health curriculum offered under Section 28.002(a)(2)(B). (b) The State Board of Education shall adopt essential knowledge and skills for the instruction on grief that include grade-level appropriate instruction relating to: (1) the physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of grief; (2) coping mechanisms and techniques to process grief and loss; and (3) resources available to students, including school support resources, mental health crisis support, and individual and group therapy. SECTION 2. Section 28.019, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. SECTION 3. 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.