The bill, S.B. No. 367, mandates that public school districts in Texas must implement health directives from public health orders issued by health authorities regarding communicable diseases. Specifically, the bill introduces Section 38.0022 to the Education Code, which defines "communicable disease" and "health authority" as per existing law. It requires school districts to comply with evidence-based practices aimed at reducing the transmission of communicable diseases, which may include directives for students and staff to wear face masks or coverings.

Additionally, the bill addresses situations where multiple health authorities issue conflicting orders. In such cases, the school district's board of trustees is given the authority to choose which health authority's directives to follow. The provisions of this bill will apply only to public health orders issued on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

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