Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to charter schools and nonpublic schools and sexual exploitation by a school employee, and making penalties applicable
Sponsored by Rep. Megan Jones (R)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 29, 2025
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by February 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Under current law, certain workers at charter and private schools are not included in the legal definition of a school employee for sexual exploitation crimes. This bill expands that definition to include full-time, part-time, and substitute workers, as well as volunteers and contractors who supervise students. These individuals would then face criminal penalties if they commit sexual exploitation against a student.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to charter schools and nonpublic schools and sexual exploitation by a school employee. Current law does not include employees or contractors of charter schools or accredited nonpublic schools in the definition of “school employee” for purposes of criminalizing sexual exploitation of a student by a school employee.15: a person employed by a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school full-time, part-time, or as a substitute; a person who performs services as a volunteer for a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school and who has direct supervisory authority over the student with whom the person engages in prohibited conduct; and a person who provides services under a contract for such services to a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school and who has direct supervisory authority over the student with whom the person engages in prohibited conduct. A school employee who commits sexual exploitation faces penalties ranging from an aggravated misdemeanor to a class “D” felony. An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than two years and a fine of at least $855 but not more than $8,540. A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $1,025 but not more than $10,245.
Why it matters. Full-time, part-time, and substitute employees of charter and nonpublic schools, as well as certain volunteers and contractors with direct supervisory authority over students, would be included in the legal definition of a school employee for sexual exploitation crimes. These individuals would face penalties ranging from an aggravated misdemeanor to a class D felony if they engage in sexual exploitation of a student.2