Texas S.B. 939

Texas S.B. 939

Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Sexual Abuse

Requires provisions on reporting child abuse to extend to charter schools, and to include reports of child neglect. Clarifies that the TEA policy require districts and charter schools to require each employee to report child abuse or neglect in the manner required by statute. Requires that training on issues related to sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children be provided both to all new district and charter school employees, and to existing district and charter school employees, on a schedule adopted by the TEA by rule, until all district and open-enrollment charter school employees have taken the training. Requires each public school and open-enrollment charter school to post a sign in English and Spanish in a clearly visible location, containing the toll-free telephone number operated by the department of family and protective services to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.

Requires each institution of higher education to adopt a policy on the reporting of child abuse and neglect, which must require each employee of the institution to report child abuse and neglect in the manner required by statute. Requires each institution of higher education to provide training for certain employees in prevention techniques for and the recognition of symptoms of sexual abuse and other maltreatment of
children and the responsibility and procedure of reporting suspected occurrences of sexual abuse and other maltreatment.

Directs licensed child care facilities to require each employee who attends a training program on recognizing the symptoms of child abuse, neglect, and sexual molestation and other issues to sign a statement verifying the employee 's attendance at the training program. Requires the facility to maintain the statement in the employee's personnel records. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/pdf/SB00939F.pdf#navpanes=0

Source:
www.capitol.state.tx.us

Status: Signed into law Status Date: 06/14/2013

Texas S.B. 939
Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Sexual Abuse
Requires provisions on reporting child abuse to extend to charter schools, and to include reports of child neglect. Clarifies that the TEA policy require districts and charter schools to require each employee to report child abuse or neglect in the manner required by statute. Requires that training on issues related to sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children be provided both to all new district and charter school employees, and to existing district and charter school employees, on a schedule adopted by the TEA by rule, until all district and open-enrollment charter school employees have taken the training. Requires each public school and open-enrollment charter school to post a sign in English and Spanish in a clearly visible location, containing the toll-free telephone number operated by the department of family and protective services to receive reports of child abuse or neglect. Requires each institution of higher education to adopt a policy on the reporting of child abuse and neglect, which must require each employee of the institution to report child abuse and neglect in the manner required by statute. Requires each institution of higher education to provide training for certain employees in prevention techniques for and the recognition of symptoms of sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children and the responsibility and procedure of reporting suspected occurrences of sexual abuse and other maltreatment. Directs licensed child care facilities to require each employee who attends a training program on recognizing the symptoms of child abuse, neglect, and sexual molestation and other issues to sign a statement verifying the employee 's attendance at the training program. Requires the facility to maintain the statement in the employee's personnel records. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/pdf/SB00939F.pdf#navpanes=0
Source: www.capitol.state.tx.us
Status: Signed into law	Status Date: 06/14/2013