HB2595 - Relating to prohibiting certain dealings with foreign adversaries by public schools and public institutions of higher education; providing civil penalties; creating criminal offenses.

  89R10651 CXP-F     By: Cain H.B. No. 2595       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to prohibiting certain dealings with foreign adversaries   by public schools and public institutions of higher education;   providing civil penalties; creating criminal offenses.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 11.1561 to read as follows:           Sec.   11.1561.     PROHIBITIONS ON CERTAIN DEALINGS WITH FOREIGN   ADVERSARIES; OFFENSE. (a) In this section:                 (1)  "Contract" includes:                       (A)     an agreement involving the exchange of   faculty, staff, or students through any form of collaboration,   including a research partnership, joint academic program, faculty   or staff exchange, study abroad program, or student exchange   program; and                       (B)     an arrangement involving the transfer or   sharing of intellectual property or proprietary information.                 (2)  "Foreign adversary" means:                       (A)     the People's Republic of China, including the   Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions but not   including Taiwan;                       (B)  the Islamic Republic of Iran;                       (C)  the Democratic People's Republic of Korea;                       (D)  the Russian Federation; or                       (E)     an agent, instrumentality, or entity owned,   operated, or directed by a country described by Paragraph (A), (B),   (C), or (D).           (b)  Notwithstanding any other law:                 (1)  a school district may not:                       (A)     enter into a contract with a foreign   adversary for the adversary to directly or indirectly operate,   direct, or organize any academic program, including through the   selection of teachers or educational resources;                       (B)     use in any medium an educational material   produced or sold by a foreign adversary, unless the material has   been reviewed and approved by the agency; or                       (C)     carry an insurance policy that covers a   violation of this section; and                 (2)     a school district employee may not provide   material support for an academic or nonacademic program operated by   a foreign adversary.           (c)     The agency shall make available to the public on the   agency's Internet website each educational material produced or   sold by a foreign adversary that the agency has reviewed and   approved under Subsection (b)(1)(B). If a technical or legal   constraint prevents publication of an educational material on the   agency's Internet website, the agency shall make a copy of the   material available for inspection at a reasonable time on request.           (d)     This section, except Subsection (b)(1)(B), does not   apply to a noninstructional sports, games, music, or fine arts   competition.           (e)     A school district that violates this section is liable   to this state for a civil penalty in the amount of $50,000 for each   violation.           (f)     The attorney general may sue to collect the civil   penalty under Subsection (e). A suit under this subsection may be   filed in a district court in Travis County.           (g)     A person commits an offense if the person knowingly   violates this section. An offense under this subsection is a felony   of the first degree.           (h)     Sovereign, governmental, or official immunity, as   applicable, and any qualified immunity are waived and abolished to   the extent of liability created by this section.          SECTION 2.  Section 12.013(b), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (b)  A home-rule school district is subject to:                (1)  a provision of this title establishing a criminal   offense;                (2)  a provision of this title relating to limitations   on liability; and                (3)  a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as   applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this   title, relating to:                      (A)  the Public Education Information Management   System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with   this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;                      (B)  educator certification under Chapter 21 and   educator rights under Sections 21.407, 21.408, and 22.001;                      (C)  criminal history records under Subchapter C,   Chapter 22;                      (D)  student admissions under Section 25.001;                      (E)  school attendance under Sections 25.085,   25.086, and 25.087;                      (F)  inter-district or inter-county transfers of   students under Subchapter B, Chapter 25;                      (G)  elementary class size limits under Section   25.112, in the case of any campus in the district that fails to   satisfy any standard under Section 39.054(e);                      (H)  high school graduation under Section 28.025;                      (I)  special education programs under Subchapter   A, Chapter 29;                      (J)  bilingual education under Subchapter B,   Chapter 29;                      (K)  prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E,   Chapter 29;                      (L)  safety provisions relating to the   transportation of students under Sections 34.002, 34.003, 34.004,   and 34.008;                      (M)  computation and distribution of state aid   under Chapters 31, 43, and 48;                      (N)  extracurricular activities under Section   33.081;                      (O)  health and safety under Chapter 38;                      (P)  the provisions of Subchapter A, Chapter 39;                      (Q)  public school accountability and special   investigations under Subchapters A, B, C, D, and J, Chapter 39, and   Chapter 39A;                      (R)  options for local revenue levels in excess of   entitlement under Chapter 49;                      (S)  a bond or other obligation or tax rate under   Chapters 43, 45, and 48;                      (T)  purchasing under Chapter 44; [ and ]                      (U)  parental options to retain a student under   Section 28.02124 ; and                       (V)     certain dealings with foreign adversaries   under Section 11.1561 .          SECTION 3.  Section 12.056(b), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (b)  A campus or program for which a charter is granted under   this subchapter is subject to:                (1)  a provision of this title establishing a criminal   offense; and                (2)  a prohibition, restriction, or requirement, as   applicable, imposed by this title or a rule adopted under this   title, relating to:                      (A)  the Public Education Information Management   System (PEIMS) to the extent necessary to monitor compliance with   this subchapter as determined by the commissioner;                      (B)  criminal history records under Subchapter C,   Chapter 22;                      (C)  high school graduation under Section 28.025;                      (D)  special education programs under Subchapter   A, Chapter 29;                      (E)  bilingual education under Subchapter B,   Chapter 29;                      (F)  prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E,   Chapter 29, except class size limits for prekindergarten classes   imposed under Section 25.112, which do not apply;                      (G)  extracurricular activities under Section   33.081;                      (H)  health and safety under Chapter 38;                      (I)  the provisions of Subchapter A, Chapter 39;                      (J)  public school accountability and special   investigations under Subchapters A, B, C, D, F, and J, Chapter 39,   and Chapter 39A;                      (K)  the duty to discharge or refuse to hire   certain employees or applicants for employment under Section   12.1059; [ and ]                      (L)  parental options to retain a student under   Section 28.02124 ; and                       (M)     [Text truncated for display. 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