Youth Health & Safety Committee hears discipline bills including ban on corporal punishment

The House Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety heard several bills Monday, including legislation that has been filed in multiple previous sessions to ban corporal punishment in schools. Among the bills heard and left pending:

• HB 772 by Rep. Alma Allen would eliminate the practice of corporal punishment in public schools.
  
• HB 2126 by Rep. Vikki Goodwin would revise current law regarding corporal punishment to require districts to notify parents of their right to prohibit corporal punishment of their student, and adds that districts must report instances of corporal punishment to TEA.
  
• HB 773 by Rep. Allen would prohibit schools from having parents pick up their child early as a disciplinary action.
  
• HB 185 by Rep. Mary Gonzalez would add chronically absent students to those described as "at risk of dropping out."
• HB 2090 by Rep. Christian Manuel would allow districts to offer 12-graders a two-semester elective course on firearm safety, community safety, and mental health.
• HB 2976 by Rep. Ryan Guillen also would allow for an elective course on firearm safety, which could be provided virtually, and would be made available to the public on the TEA website.
• HB 3255 by Rep. Manuel would require districts to mandate emergency response management training for every principal, assistant principal, school marshal, school district peace officer, school resource officer, and other security personnel.