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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the removal, discipline, or transfer of a public school |
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student. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.0341(b), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) On the request of a parent or other person with |
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authority to act on behalf of a student who is a victim to whom |
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Subsection (a)(2) applies: |
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(1) the board of trustees of the school district shall |
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transfer the student to: |
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(A) a district campus other than: |
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(i) the campus to which the student was |
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assigned at the time the conduct occurred; or |
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(ii) the campus to which the student who |
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engaged in the conduct is assigned, if the student who engaged in |
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the conduct has been assigned to a different campus since the |
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conduct occurred; or |
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(B) a neighboring school district, if there is |
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only one campus in the district serving the grade level in which the |
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student is enrolled; or |
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(2) if the student does not wish to transfer to another |
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campus or district, the board of trustees may [shall] transfer the |
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student who engaged in the conduct to: |
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(A) a district campus other than the campus to |
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which the student who is the victim of the conduct is assigned; or |
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(B) the district's disciplinary alternative |
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education program or juvenile justice alternative education |
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program, if there is only one campus in the district serving the |
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grade level in which the student who engaged in the conduct is |
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enrolled. |
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SECTION 2. Section 37.002(d), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) A teacher may [shall] remove from class and send to the |
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principal for placement in a disciplinary alternative education |
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program or for expulsion, as appropriate, a student who engages in |
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conduct described under Section 37.006 or 37.007. If the student |
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has been removed from class, the [The] student may not be returned |
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to that teacher's class without the teacher's consent unless the |
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committee established under Section 37.003 determines that such |
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placement is the best or only alternative available. If the teacher |
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removed the student from class because the student has engaged in |
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the elements of any offense listed in Section 37.006(a)(2)(B) or |
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Section 37.007(a)(2)(A) or (b)(2)(C) against the teacher, the |
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student may not be returned to the teacher's class without the |
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teacher's consent. The teacher may not be coerced to consent. |
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SECTION 3. Section 37.0051(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) As provided by Section 25.0341(b)(2), a student may |
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[shall] be removed from class and placed in a disciplinary |
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alternative education program under Section 37.008 or a juvenile |
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justice alternative education program under Section 37.011. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 37.006(a), (b), (c), and (f), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A student may [shall] be removed from class and placed |
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in a disciplinary alternative education program as provided by |
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Section 37.008 if the student: |
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(1) engages in conduct involving a public school that |
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contains the elements of the offense of false alarm or report under |
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Section 42.06, Penal Code, or terroristic threat under Section |
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22.07, Penal Code; or |
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(2) commits the following on or within 300 feet of |
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school property, as measured from any point on the school's real |
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property boundary line, or while attending a school-sponsored or |
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school-related activity on or off of school property: |
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(A) engages in conduct punishable as a felony; |
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(B) engages in conduct that contains the elements |
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of the offense of assault under Section 22.01(a)(1), Penal Code; |
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(C) sells, gives, or delivers to another person |
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or possesses or uses or is under the influence of: |
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(i) marihuana or a controlled substance, as |
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defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. |
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Section 801 et seq.; or |
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(ii) a dangerous drug, as defined by |
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Chapter 483, Health and Safety Code; |
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(D) sells, gives, or delivers to another person |
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an alcoholic beverage, as defined by Section 1.04, Alcoholic |
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Beverage Code, commits a serious act or offense while under the |
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influence of alcohol, or possesses, uses, or is under the influence |
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of an alcoholic beverage; |
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(E) engages in conduct that contains the elements |
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of an offense relating to an abusable volatile chemical under |
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Sections 485.031 through 485.034, Health and Safety Code; or |
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(F) engages in conduct that contains the elements |
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of the offense of public lewdness under Section 21.07, Penal Code, |
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or indecent exposure under Section 21.08, Penal Code. |
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(b) A [Except as provided by Section 37.007(d), a] student |
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may [shall] be removed from class and placed in a disciplinary |
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alternative education program under Section 37.008 if the student |
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engages in conduct on or off of school property that contains the |
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elements of the offense of retaliation under Section 36.06, Penal |
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Code, against any school employee. |
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(c) In addition to Subsections (a) and (b), a student may |
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[shall] be removed from class and placed in a disciplinary |
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alternative education program under Section 37.008 based on conduct |
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occurring off campus and while the student is not in attendance at a |
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school-sponsored or school-related activity if: |
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(1) the student receives deferred prosecution under |
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Section 53.03, Family Code, for conduct defined as: |
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(A) a felony offense in Title 5, Penal Code; or |
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(B) the felony offense of aggravated robbery |
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under Section 29.03, Penal Code; |
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(2) a court or jury finds that the student has engaged |
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in delinquent conduct under Section 54.03, Family Code, for conduct |
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defined as: |
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(A) a felony offense in Title 5, Penal Code; or |
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(B) the felony offense of aggravated robbery |
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under Section 29.03, Penal Code; or |
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(3) the superintendent or the superintendent's |
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designee has a reasonable belief that the student has engaged in a |
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conduct defined as: |
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(A) a felony offense in Title 5, Penal Code; or |
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(B) the felony offense of aggravated robbery |
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under Section 29.03, Penal Code. |
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(f) Subject to Section 37.007(e), a student who is younger |
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than 10 years of age may [shall] be removed from class and placed in |
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a disciplinary alternative education program under Section 37.008 |
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if the student engages in conduct described by Section 37.007. An |
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elementary school student may not be placed in a disciplinary |
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alternative education program with any other student who is not an |
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elementary school student. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 37.007(a) and (d), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (k), a student may |
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[shall] be expelled from a school if the student, on school property |
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or while attending a school-sponsored or school-related activity on |
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or off of school property: |
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(1) uses, exhibits, or possesses: |
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(A) [a firearm as defined by Section 46.01(3),
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Penal Code;
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[(B)] an illegal knife as defined by Section |
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46.01(6), Penal Code, or by local policy; |
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(B) [(C)] a club as defined by Section 46.01(1), |
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Penal Code; or |
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(C) [(D)] a weapon listed as a prohibited weapon |
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under Section 46.05, Penal Code; |
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(2) engages in conduct that contains the elements of |
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the offense of: |
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(A) aggravated assault under Section 22.02, |
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Penal Code, sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal Code, or |
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aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021, Penal Code; |
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(B) arson under Section 28.02, Penal Code; |
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(C) murder under Section 19.02, Penal Code, |
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capital murder under Section 19.03, Penal Code, or criminal |
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attempt, under Section 15.01, Penal Code, to commit murder or |
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capital murder; |
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(D) indecency with a child under Section 21.11, |
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Penal Code; |
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(E) aggravated kidnapping under Section 20.04, |
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Penal Code; |
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(F) aggravated robbery under Section 29.03, |
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Penal Code; |
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(G) manslaughter under Section 19.04, Penal |
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Code; |
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(H) criminally negligent homicide under Section |
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19.05, Penal Code; or |
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(I) continuous sexual abuse of young child or |
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children under Section 21.02, Penal Code; or |
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(3) engages in conduct specified by Section |
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37.006(a)(2)(C) or (D), if the conduct is punishable as a felony. |
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(d) A student may [shall] be expelled if the student engages |
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in conduct that contains the elements of any offense listed in |
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Subsection (a), or [and may be expelled] if the student engages in |
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conduct that contains the elements of any offense listed in |
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Subsection (b)(2)(C), against any employee or volunteer in |
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retaliation for or as a result of the person's employment or |
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association with a school district, without regard to whether the |
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conduct occurs on or off of school property or while attending a |
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school-sponsored or school-related activity on or off of school |
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property. |
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SECTION 6. Sections 37.009(a) and (f), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Not later than the third class day after the day on which |
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a student is removed from class by the teacher under Section |
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37.002(b) or (d) or is removed or disciplined by the school |
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principal or other appropriate administrator under Section |
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37.001(a)(2), 37.005, 37.0051, [or] 37.006, or 37.0081, the |
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principal or other appropriate administrator shall schedule a |
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conference among the principal or other appropriate administrator, |
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a parent or guardian of the student, the teacher removing the |
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student from class, if any, and the student. At the conference, the |
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student is entitled to written or oral notice of the reasons for the |
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removal or discipline, an explanation of the basis for the removal |
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or discipline, and an opportunity to respond to the reasons for the |
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removal or discipline. If removed from class, the [The] student may |
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not be returned to the regular classroom pending the conference. |
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Following the conference, and whether or not each requested person |
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is in attendance after valid attempts to require the person's |
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attendance, the principal shall order the placement of the student |
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for a period consistent with the student code of conduct. If school |
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district policy allows a student to appeal to the board of trustees |
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or the board's designee a decision of the principal or other |
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appropriate administrator, other than an expulsion under Section |
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37.007, the decision of the board or the board's designee is final |
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and may not be appealed. If the period of the placement is |
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inconsistent with the guidelines included in the student code of |
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conduct under Section 37.001(a)(5), the order must give notice of |
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the inconsistency. The period of the placement may not exceed one |
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year unless, after a review, the district determines that: |
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(1) the student is a threat to the safety of other |
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students or to district employees; or |
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(2) extended placement is in the best interest of the |
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student. |
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(f) Before a student may be expelled under Section 37.007 or |
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Section 37.0081, the board or the board's designee must provide the |
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student a hearing at which the student is afforded appropriate due |
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process as required by the federal constitution and which the |
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student's parent or guardian is invited, in writing, to attend. At |
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the hearing, the student is entitled to be represented by the |
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student's parent or guardian or another adult who can provide |
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guidance to the student and who is not an employee of the school |
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district. If the school district makes a good-faith effort to |
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inform the student and the student's parent or guardian of the time |
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and place of the hearing, the district may hold the hearing |
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regardless of whether the student, the student's parent or |
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guardian, or another adult representing the student attends. If |
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the decision to expel a student is made by the board's designee, the |
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decision may be appealed to the board. The decision of the board |
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may be appealed by trial de novo to a district court of the county in |
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which the school district's central administrative office is |
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located. |
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SECTION 7. Section 37.011(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) If a student admitted into the public schools of a |
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school district under Section 25.001(b) is expelled from school for |
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conduct [for which expulsion is required] under Section 37.007(a), |
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(d), or (e), the juvenile court, the juvenile board, or the juvenile |
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board's designee, as appropriate, shall: |
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(1) if the student is placed on probation under |
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Section 54.04, Family Code, order the student to attend the |
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juvenile justice alternative education program in the county in |
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which the student resides from the date of disposition as a |
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condition of probation, unless the child is placed in a |
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post-adjudication treatment facility; |
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(2) if the student is placed on deferred prosecution |
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under Section 53.03, Family Code, by the court, prosecutor, or |
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probation department, require the student to immediately attend the |
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juvenile justice alternative education program in the county in |
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which the student resides for a period not to exceed six months as a |
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condition of the deferred prosecution; |
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(3) in determining the conditions of the deferred |
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prosecution or court-ordered probation, consider the length of the |
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school district's expulsion order for the student; and |
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(4) provide timely educational services to the student |
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in the juvenile justice alternative education program in the county |
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in which the student resides, regardless of the student's age or |
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whether the juvenile court has jurisdiction over the student. |
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SECTION 8. Section 37.303, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 37.303. REMOVAL OF REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER FROM |
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REGULAR CLASSROOM. Notwithstanding any provision of Subchapter A, |
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on receiving notice under Article 15.27, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, or Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, that a |
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student is required to register as a sex offender under that |
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chapter, a school district may [shall] remove the student from the |
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regular classroom and determine the appropriate placement of the |
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student in the manner provided by this subchapter. |
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SECTION 9. Section 37.304(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A school district may [shall] place a student to whom |
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this subchapter applies and who is under any form of court |
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supervision, including probation, community supervision, or |
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parole, in the appropriate alternative education program as |
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provided by Section 37.309 for at least one semester. |
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SECTION 10. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 11. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |