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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a school district or open-enrollment charter school |
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adopting a policy allowing a school employee to carry or possess a |
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handgun on school property or at a school event. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 37.0811, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The board of trustees of a school district or the |
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governing body of an open-enrollment charter school may appoint |
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school marshals under this section only if a school marshal policy |
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is adopted by the board or governing body by a record vote taken at a |
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public meeting. Before adopting the school marshal policy, the |
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board or governing body must provide a reasonable period for public |
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comment regarding the policy. |
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(a-1) The board of trustees of a school district or the |
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governing body of an open-enrollment charter school may appoint, |
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under the policy adopted under Subsection (a), one or more school |
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marshals for each campus. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 37, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 37.0816 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 37.0816. POLICY AUTHORIZING PERSON TO CARRY OR POSSESS |
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HANDGUN. The board of trustees of a school district or the |
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governing body of an open-enrollment charter school may not |
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authorize a person to carry or possess a handgun for which the |
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person is licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government |
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Code, on the physical premises of a campus or school, any grounds or |
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building on which an activity sponsored by a school or campus is |
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being conducted, or a passenger transportation vehicle of a school |
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or campus, unless, by a record vote taken at a public meeting, the |
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board or governing body adopts a policy allowing a person to carry |
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or possess a handgun in accordance with Section 46.03(a)(1), Penal |
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Code. A public meeting held to adopt a policy described by this |
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section must provide for a reasonable period for public comment |
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regarding the policy. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2022, each board of |
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trustees of a school district and each governing body of an |
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open-enrollment charter school that, before the effective date of |
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this Act, has appointed a school marshal under Section 37.0811, |
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Education Code, or has otherwise authorized any person to carry or |
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possess a handgun in the manner described by Section 37.0816, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act, shall hold a public meeting |
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and allow for public comment on the appointment of school marshals |
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or authorization to carry or possess a handgun, as applicable. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |