WHO: Senator Paul Bettencourt

WHAT: Texas Senate consideration of SB 7, which will strengthen and enhance educator misconduct laws in Texas

WHEN: Wednesday, March 8, 2017, at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE:  Texas Senate Gallery
Texas Capitol
1100 Congress Ave
Austin, Texas 78701

Expanding educator misconduct laws: With inappropriate teacher-student relationships on the rise across Texas, Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) will present Senate Bill 7 to the full Texas Senate to strengthen and enhance educator misconduct laws across the state. Improper student-teacher relationships continues to be a statewide issue, with Texas Education Agency investigations increasing 43 percent over the last year.

SB 7, sponsored by Senator Bettencourt along with 29 co-authors, will strengthen the reporting and training requirements, establish appropriate penalties for failure to report incidents, and build upon TEA’s subpoena authority to help ensure the safety of Texas students in both public and private schools. Educator misconduct is one of Lt. Governor Patrick’s top 10 legislative priorities this session.