Texas HB 2022: Relating to a public school student's right not to participate in or observe animal research.

Bill Text

By:AAMeza H.B.ANo.A2022
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a public school student’s right not to participate in or
observe animal research.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTIONA1.AASubchapter Z, Chapter 25, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 25.904 to read as follows:
Sec.A25.904.AASTUDENT RIGHTS REGARDING ANIMAL RESEARCH. (a)
In this section, "animal research" means any instruction that
involves the use of a deceased animal or harm to a living animal,
including dissection, vivisection, incubation, capture, surgery,
or any other procedure that is invasive or may result in the
animal’s death.
(b)AAA school district shall adopt a policy allowing students
enrolled in the district to elect not to participate in or observe
all or any part of animal research required or offered as part of
any course. The policy must:
(1)AApermit a student to make the election at any time;
(2)AAprohibit penalizing or discriminating against a
student in any manner for electing not to participate in or observe
the research; and
(3)AArequire the teacher of a course in which animal
research is required or offered to:
(A)AAnotify each student enrolled in the course
regarding the research and the policy adopted under this
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subsection:
(i)AAon the first instructional day of the
course; and
(ii)AAif the research will occur more than 21
days after the first instructional day of the course, not later than
the 21st day before the date on which the research will occur; and
(B)AAprovide a student who elects not to
participate in or observe the research an alternative assignment
that:
(i)AAdoes not involve harm to an animal;
(ii)AAprovides the student with the
information the student is intended to learn from participating in
or observing the research or, if the research is required as part of
a test, assesses the student’s knowledge of that information in an
alternative manner;
(iii)AAis substantially similar to the
research in regard to the amount of time and effort necessary for
completion; and
(iv)AAuses a grading method comparable to
the grading method used for the research.
(c)AAAn alternative assignment provided under Subsection
(b)(3)(B) may involve the use of video recordings, models, books,
photographs, simulations, live observations in the wild or in a
zoo, or other tools that enable a student to learn about an animal’s
anatomy, physiology, or life cycle by a method other than animal
research.
(d)AABefore the beginning of each school year, a school
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H.B.ANo.A2022
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district shall provide to each student enrolled in the district and
each teacher who teaches a course in which animal research is
required or offered written notice that includes:
(1)AAinformation regarding the policy adopted under
Subsection (b); and
(2)AAa list of each course in which animal research is
required or offered in that school year.
SECTIONA2.AAThis Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
school year.
SECTIONA3.AAThis Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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