88R11349 PRL-D     By: Schatzline H.B. No. 4530       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to instruction in human trafficking awareness in public   schools.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (u) and (u-1) to   read as follows:          (a)  Each school district that offers kindergarten through   grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:                (1)  a foundation curriculum that includes:                      (A)  English language arts;                      (B)  mathematics;                      (C)  science; and                      (D)  social studies, consisting of Texas, United   States, and world history, government, economics, with emphasis on   the free enterprise system and its benefits, and geography; and                (2)  an enrichment curriculum that includes:                      (A)  to the extent possible, languages other than   English;                      (B)  health, with emphasis on:                            (i)  physical health, including the   importance of proper nutrition and exercise;                            (ii)  mental health, including instruction   about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage   emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and   responsible decision-making; and                            (iii)  suicide prevention, including   recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;                      (C)  physical education;                      (D)  fine arts;                      (E)  career and technology education;                      (F)  technology applications;                      (G)  religious literature, including the Hebrew   Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on   history and literature; [and]                      (H)  personal financial literacy; and                      (I)  human trafficking awareness.          (u)  In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the   human trafficking awareness curriculum required under Subsection   (a)(2)(I), the State Board of Education shall ensure that the   curriculum includes grade-level appropriate instruction relating   to:                (1)  for students in grades six through eight:                      (A)  the underlying causes of human trafficking;                       (B)  identification of and prevention of human   trafficking for labor and sexual exploitation, with an emphasis on:                            (i)  understanding the signs or indicators   of human trafficking;                            (ii)  practicing online safety; and                             (iii)  understanding the methods used by   human traffickers to recruit children;                       (C)  methods for reporting suspected human   trafficking; and                       (D)  interventions and treatment provided to   survivors of human trafficking; and                (2)  for students in grades 9 through 12, the topics   provided by Subdivision (1) and:                      (A)  the commercial sexual exploitation of and   vulnerability to human trafficking of minors;                       (B)  the role of gender in the selection of   targets for human trafficking;                       (C)  distinguishing human trafficking from other   types of offenses involving the transport or movement of   individuals by others, such as kidnapping and human smuggling; and                      (D)  domestic and foreign policy responses to   human trafficking.           (u-1)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules   requiring students enrolled in grades six through eight to complete   a one-semester human trafficking awareness course covering the   essential knowledge and skills described by Subsection (u)(1). The   course may be required only once for the middle school grade levels.          SECTION 2.  Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b-1)  The State Board of Education by rule shall require   that the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school   program under Subsection (a) include a requirement that students   successfully complete:                (1)  four credits in English language arts under   Section 28.002(a)(1)(A), including one credit in English I, one   credit in English II, one credit in English III, and one credit in   an advanced English course authorized under Subsection (b-2);                (2)  three credits in mathematics under Section   28.002(a)(1)(B), including one credit in Algebra I, one credit in   geometry, and one credit in any advanced mathematics course   authorized under Subsection (b-2);                (3)  three credits in science under Section   28.002(a)(1)(C), including one credit in biology, one credit in any   advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2), and one   credit in integrated physics and chemistry or in an additional   advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2);                (4)  three credits in social studies under Section   28.002(a)(1)(D), including one credit in United States history, at   least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in   economics or personal financial literacy & economics, and one   credit in world geography or world history;                (5)  except as provided under Subsections (b-12),   (b-13), and (b-14), two credits in the same language in a language   other than English under Section 28.002(a)(2)(A);                (6)  four and one-half [five] elective credits;                (7)  one credit in fine arts under Section   28.002(a)(2)(D); [and]                (8)  except as provided by Subsection (b-11), one   credit in physical education under Section 28.002(a)(2)(C); and                (9)  one-half credit in human trafficking awareness   under Section 28.002(a)(2)(I).          SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, the State Board of Education shall develop the   curriculum required under Section 28.002(u), Education Code, as   added by this Act.          SECTION 4.  (a) Sections 28.002(u)(1) and (u-1), Education   Code, as added by this Act, apply only to the middle school   curriculum required for students entering the sixth grade during   the 2023-2024 school year or a later school year.          (b)  Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, as amended by this   Act, applies only to students entering the ninth grade during the   2023-2024 school year or a later school year. For students entering   a grade above ninth grade during the 2023-2024 school year, Section   28.025(b-1), Education Code, as that section existed before   amendment by this Act, applies, and that section is continued in   effect for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  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, 2023.