Hello Healthy Futures Community,

I wanted to alert you to a BILL that is up for a hearing TOMORROW in the
Senate Education Committee. The bill is SB 163 [1] by Senator Donna
Campbell. 

WHAT WOULD SB 163 DO?

Last session, the legislature implemented a requirement that students get
written consent from their parents in order to participate in sex
education. The opt-in requirement expires in 2024, so SB 163 would make it
permanent. Previously, parents could opt their kids out of sex education if
they opposed the instruction. Texas also now requires written parent
permission for any instruction on abuse prevention. 

WHY IS THIS A CONCERN? 

Many families fail to return opt-in forms because they simply overlook them
or forget about them – and research shows that kids who are the most
at-risk for outcomes like teen pregnancy are the ones whose parents are
least likely to manage to return the paperwork. 

Additionally, Texas law puts a lot of unnecessary red tape in front of
districts when it comes to these permission forms. For example, the forms
can’t go out with any other documents, making them much harder to manage.
In fact, the sex ed permission slip and the abuse prevention permission
slip can’t even go out together, despite the fact that this content is
part of the same health class! Simple changes to state law could allow
these forms to go out in the beginning of year registration packets, where
parents are more likely to actually see them, improving transparency for
parents. 

WHAT CAN YOU SAY?

“If we make opt-in permanent, please take steps to remove administrative
red tape and make these laws easier for our overworked teachers to comply
with.” 

PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE:

 BRANDON CREIGHTON (CHAIR) 
Capitol Office: E1.606
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0104
Link to their Email Portal [2]

 DONNA CAMPBELL (VICE CHAIR) 
Capitol Office: 3E.18
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0125
Link to their Email Portal [3]

 PAUL BETTENCOURT 
Capitol Office: 3E.16
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0107
Link to their Email Portal [4]

 BRIAN BIRDWELL 
Capitol Office: 1E.3
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0122
Link to their Email Portal [5]

 PETE FLORES 
Capitol Office: E1.808
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0124
Link to their Email Portal [6]

 PHIL KING 
Capitol Office: GE.5
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0110
Link to their Email Portal [7]

 MORGAN LAMANTIA 
Capitol Office: E1.712
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0127
Link to their Email Portal [8]

 JOSÉ MENÉNDEZ 
Capitol Office: E1.610
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0126
Link to their Email Portal [9]

 MAYES MIDDLETON 
Capitol Office: E1.708
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0111
Link to their Email Portal [10]

 TAN PARKER 
Capitol Office: E1.608
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0112
Link to their Email Portal [11]

 ANGELA PAXTON 
Capitol Office: 3E.2
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0108
Link to their Email Portal [12]

 DREW SPRINGER 
Capitol Office: E1.706
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0130
Link to their Email Portal [13]

 ROYCE WEST 
Capitol Office: 1E.5
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0123
Link to their Email Portal [14]

Thank you for your continued support on behalf of Texas youth,

Jen Biundo
Senior Director of Policy and Research
Healthy Futures of Texas 

[15]

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