Bill Text: TX HB2736 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to requirements regarding certain student resources provided to public and private school students by a public or private primary or secondary school, institution of higher education, state agency, or public library.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 8-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-13 - Referred to State Affairs [HB2736 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB2736-Introduced.html
  88R6144 DIO-F
 
  By: Toth H.B. No. 2736
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to requirements regarding certain student resources
  provided to public and private school students by a public or
  private primary or secondary school, institution of higher
  education, state agency, or public library.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 38.043 to read as follows:
         Sec. 38.043.  REQUIREMENTS REGARDING CERTAIN STUDENT
  RESOURCES. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 61.003.
               (2)  "Library" means:
                     (A)  a public library or a library system, as
  defined by Section 441.122, Government Code;
                     (B)  a library operated by an institution of
  higher education, a school district, or an open-enrollment charter
  school; or
                     (C)  a library operated by a state agency or
  political subdivision.
               (3)  "Provider" means a person, including a vendor, who
  provides student resources.
               (4)  "Student" means a child enrolled as a student in
  prekindergarten through 12th grade in a public or private school in
  this state.
               (5)  "Student resources" means physical, digital, or
  online library resources, access to databases, and curriculum and
  supportive materials for use by a student.
         (b)  A school district, open-enrollment charter school,
  private school, institution of higher education, state agency, or
  library may not provide student resources to a student unless the
  resource has been verified by the provider of the resource for
  compliance with Subsection (c).
         (c)  A provider shall adopt safety policies and technology
  protections to verify that the student resources the provider
  provides to a school district, open-enrollment charter school,
  private school, institution of higher education, state agency, or
  library:
               (1)  do not contain or allow access to a communication,
  written description, photographic image, video image, or audio
  file, that relates to, depicts, or describes:
                     (A)  a material or performance that is obscene, as
  defined by Section 43.21, Penal Code;
                     (B)  child pornography, as described by Section
  43.26, Penal Code; or
                     (C)  sexual exploitation, as defined by Section
  81.001, Civil Practice and Remedies Code;
               (2)  do not allow a student to receive, send, upload, or
  download a communication, written description, photographic image,
  video image, or audio file described by Subdivision (1); and
               (3)  filter or block a student's access to an item
  described by Subdivisions (1) and (2).
         (d)  Before providing any student resources to a school
  district, open-enrollment charter school, private school,
  institution of higher education, state agency, or library, a
  provider shall notify the receiving entity regarding whether those
  student resources comply with Subsection (c).
         (e)  If a contract between a provider and a school district,
  open-enrollment charter school, private school, institution of
  higher education, state agency, or library for the provision of
  student resources is in effect, failure by a provider to comply with
  Subsections (c) and (d) entitles the representative of a school
  district, open-enrollment charter school, private school,
  institution of higher education, state agency, or library to:
               (1)  terminate the contract for nonperformance or
  breach of contract; or
               (2)  withhold any further payments, if any, to the
  provider pending verification and notice of compliance with
  Subsections (c) and (d).
         (f)  This section may not be construed to limit or otherwise
  affect a person's criminal liability under other law.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1 of each year, each
  entity that receives "student resources" from a "provider," as
  those terms are defined by Section 38.043, Education Code, as added
  by this Act, shall report to the legislature regarding any issues
  with provider compliance related to the requirements of that
  section.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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