H.B. No. 6 is a legislative bill designed to improve discipline management and access to telehealth mental health services in Texas public schools. It amends the Education Code to include new provisions that allow for the exclusion of students from open-enrollment charter schools based on specific criminal convictions. The bill mandates the designation of a campus behavior coordinator at each school to oversee disciplinary referrals and compliance with the code of conduct. Additionally, it emphasizes parental involvement by allowing school districts to notify parents of their rights and the potential for behavioral agreements that could reduce disciplinary periods for students. The bill also introduces crisis prevention training for parents of students receiving special education services and requires school districts to consider various factors, such as self-defense and a student's disciplinary history, when making suspension or expulsion decisions.

Further amendments enhance the procedures for student removal from classrooms and disciplinary actions, including the introduction of a model behavioral agreement and guidelines for in-school and out-of-school suspensions. The bill expands the criteria for disciplinary actions to include serious offenses and allows for the establishment of a virtual expulsion program for expelled students. It modifies the expulsion process to include off-campus behavior that threatens safety and emphasizes the need for suitable technology for students in virtual programs. The bill also establishes a juvenile justice alternative education program for students engaging in serious misbehavior and ensures that mental health services are accessible through the Texas Child Health Access through Telemedicine program, requiring parental consent for students under 18. The act is set to take effect at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, with provisions for immediate effect if passed by a two-thirds majority.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 37.005, Education Code 37.006, Education Code 29.03, Education Code 37.009, Education Code 37.010 (Education Code 37, Education Code 29)
House Committee Report: Education Code 12.111, Education Code 37.005, Education Code 37.006, Education Code 29.03, Education Code 37.009, Education Code 37.010, Education Code 37.115 (Education Code 37, Education Code 12, Education Code 29)
Engrossed: Education Code 12.111, Education Code 29.041, Education Code 37.002, Education Code 37.005, Education Code 37.006, Education Code 29.03, Education Code 37.009, Education Code 37.010, Education Code 37.055, Education Code 37.115 (Education Code 37, Education Code 12, Education Code 29)
Senate Committee Report: Education Code 12.111, Education Code 29.041, Education Code 37.0012, Education Code 37.002, Education Code 37.005, Education Code 37.006, Education Code 37.007, Education Code 37.009, Education Code 37.010, Education Code 37.011, Education Code 37.015, Education Code 37.019, Education Code 37.055, Education Code 37.115, Subchapter F, Chapter , Education Code 37.009, Health and Safety Code 113.0251 (Education Code 37, Education Code 12, Subchapter F, Chapter , Education Code 37, Education Code 29, Health and Safety Code 113)
Enrolled: Education Code 12.111, Education Code 29.041, Education Code 37.001, Education Code 37.0012, Education Code 37.002, Education Code 37.005, Education Code 37.006, Education Code 37.007, Education Code 37.009, Education Code 37.011, Education Code 37.015, Education Code 37.019, Education Code 37.115, Health and Safety Code 113.0251 (Education Code 37, Education Code 12, Subchapter F, Chapter , Education Code 37, Education Code 29, Health and Safety Code 113)