House Bill No. 2919 amends the Education Code to establish new provisions regarding the suspension of public school students who engage in certain conduct against school employees or volunteers. Specifically, the bill mandates that a principal or appropriate administrator must suspend a student who retaliates against an employee or volunteer due to their association with a school district, if the conduct either constitutes an offense under Section 22.01(a)(1) of the Penal Code or is otherwise deliberately violent and poses a threat to the health or safety of others. Additionally, the bill clarifies that existing provisions regarding student conduct do not apply to the behaviors described in this new subsection.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new requirement that any placement resulting from such suspensions must comply with Section 37.004, which pertains to changes in placement for students with disabilities receiving special education services. The provisions of this act are set to take effect at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, with the possibility of immediate effect if it receives a two-thirds majority vote from both houses of the legislature. If not, the act will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 37.005 (Education Code 37)