SB 1924 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the enforcement of certain criminal offenses on school property.

SB 1924 would require students convicted of or placed on probation for school offenses (defined in Section 37.141) to complete community service and pay all fines before graduating high school. The bill amends education code to mandate that courts certify such completion to school districts before diplomas are issued. It also changes criminal procedure to allow law enforcement to issue citations for minor traffic or fine-only offenses instead of taking students into custody, while prohibiting citations for school offenses under certain conditions. This directly affects students in Texas public schools who face criminal charges for conduct on school property.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 5, 2025 Last action Apr 30, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 7 edits · Apr 28, 2025
MODERATE
This bill significantly restricts law enforcement's ability to issue citations or take children into custody for school offenses, while expanding protections for minors' records and adding requirements for graduated sanctions before criminal complaints are filed. The changes aim to reduce the criminalization of student behavior and ensure due process before involving the justice system.
Scope change
The bill applies to all school offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and specifically addresses offenses under the Education Code and Penal Code related to school property.
ENFORCEMENT

Law enforcement officers may issue citations for traffic offenses or offenses punishable by fine only instead of taking children into custody, but cannot issue citations for school offenses.

Arrests of children in schools are restricted to situations where the child poses an immediate threat to themselves, a teacher, or a student.

REQUIREMENT

School districts must implement graduated sanctions systems (warning letters, behavior contracts, community service, counseling) before filing criminal complaints, except when offenses pose imminent threats to teacher safety or cause physical harm to teachers.

Court records and proceedings for school offenses involving children 15 or younger must be sealed and confidential, with personally identifying information protected from public disclosure.

Students cannot graduate with a diploma until they complete all community service and pay all fines and costs imposed for school offenses.

School districts must report citation data disaggregated by race, sex, age, grade level, and special education status to monitor disparities in enforcement.

ELIGIBILITY

Students convicted of school offenses or with dismissed complaints are entitled to expunction of their records upon high school graduation or when no longer eligible to attend public school.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 28, 2025

How they voted

246
Passed
Total votes 30
Apr 28, 2025
D Democratic10
4 Yea 6 Nay
60% Nay
R Republican20
20 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
30
Key actions
8
Committee
7
Amendments
3
Apr 30, 2025
Committee
Referred to s/c on Juvenile Justice by Speaker
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
Apr 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Apr 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed to engrossment as amended
upper
Apr 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Apr 28, 2025
Introduced
Amendment(s) offered
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Mar 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Mar 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education K-16
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors