85R9705 GCB-D
 
  By: Moody H.B. No. 3449
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to staff development requirements for public school
  educators regarding mental health and suicide prevention.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 21.451(d), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The staff development:
               (1)  may include training in:
                     (A)  technology;
                     (B)  conflict resolution;
                     (C)  discipline strategies, including classroom
  management, district discipline policies, and the student code of
  conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37; and
                     (D)  preventing, identifying, responding to, and
  reporting incidents of bullying;
               (2)  subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541
  and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is
  evidence-based [based on scientifically based research], as
  defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds Act [9101, No Child
  Left Behind Act of 2001] (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that:
                     (A)  relates to instruction of students with
  disabilities; and
                     (B)  is designed for educators who work primarily
  outside the area of special education; and
               (3)  must include three hours of training about mental
  health issues, mental health care, and suicide prevention
  [training] that must be provided:
                     (A)  on an annual basis, as part of a new employee
  orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter
  school educators; and
                     (B)  to existing school district and
  open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by
  the agency by rule.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2017.