HB 1368
AN ACT relating to a notification requirement if a public school does not
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
This Texas bill requires public schools to notify parents in writing if they lack a full-time nurse, school counselor, or librarian for more than 30 consecutive instructional days. Schools must provide bilingual notices to parents, which can be posted on the school's website, detailing the absence of these critical staff positions. The notification requirement applies to schools with sufficient student enrollment, aiming to increase transparency about staffing gaps that could impact student support and resources.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to a notification requirement if a public school does not have a nurse, school counselor, or librarian assigned to the school during all instructional hours. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 25.096 to read as follows: Sec. 25.096. PARENTAL NOTIFICATION CONCERNING NURSES, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, AND LIBRARIANS. (a) In this section: (1) "Librarian" means a person certified as a librarian under Subchapter B, Chapter 21. (2) "Nurse" means a person licensed under Chapter 301, (3) "School counselor" means a person certified as a school counselor under Subchapter B, Chapter 21. (b) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (i), a public school, including an open-enrollment charter school, that does not have a full-time nurse, school counselor, or librarian or the equivalent of a full-time nurse, school counselor, or librarian assigned to be present at the school for more than 30 consecutive instructional days during the same school year shall provide written notice of the absence to the parent of or other person standing in parental relation to each student enrolled in the (c) A school has the equivalent of a full-time nurse under Subsection (b) if the school has two or more nurses assigned to the school and all regular student instructional hours at the campus during the regular school day are covered by the assignment of at (d) A school has the equivalent of a full-time school counselor under Subsection (b) if the school has two or more school counselors assigned to the school and all regular student instructional hours at the campus during the regular school day are covered by the assignment of at least one school counselor. (e) A school has the equivalent of a full-time librarian under Subsection (b) if the school has two or more librarians assigned to the school and all regular student instructional hours at the campus during the regular school day are covered by the assignment of at least one librarian. (f) The principal of the school shall provide the notice required by Subsection (b) not later than the 30th instructional day after the first day the school does not have a full-time nurse, school counselor, or librarian assigned to be present at the (1) make a good faith effort to ensure that the notice required by this section is provided in a bilingual form to any parent or other person standing in parental relation whose primary (2) retain a copy of any notice provided under this (h) A school may satisfy the notice requirement under Subsection (f) by posting the notice on the school's Internet website. Notice posted under this subsection must be accessible from the home page of the Internet website by use of not more than (i) This section does not apply to a school district or open-enrollment charter school with a student enrollment of less SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 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.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to a notification requirement if a public school does not
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