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 a new 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 directives. In such cases, the board of trustees for the school district is given the authority to choose which health authority's public health order 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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