This bill establishes a paid parental leave policy for public school employees in Texas, allowing full-time employees of school districts or open-enrollment charter schools to receive paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child. The policy mandates eight consecutive weeks of paid leave for primary caregivers and four weeks for spouses of primary caregivers. To qualify, employees must have been employed full-time for at least 12 months, and their eligibility for leave expires six months after the child's birth or placement. The bill also requires that the leave be taken concurrently with any leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and prohibits schools from requiring employees to exhaust their vacation and sick leave before accessing paid parental leave.

Additionally, the bill amends the eligibility criteria for free prekindergarten programs to include children of classroom teachers employed at public primary or secondary schools in Texas. It introduces a new annual allotment for school districts equal to the compensation of employees who take paid parental leave, ensuring that the costs of providing this leave are supported financially. The provisions of the bill will take effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year, with specific sections having a delayed implementation date of September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 29.153 (Education Code 29)