Sen. Bettencourt Closes Loopholes to Keep Predators out of Schools & Juvenile Systems
Bettencourt Bills Expands ‘Do Not Hire’ Registry to Protect Students and Juveniles in Texas Two Key Bills-One Signed into Law (SB 1437), One Passed by Texas Senate 30-1 (SB 571)
AUSTIN, TX – Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) announced two major victories this week in his ongoing efforts to strengthen child safety laws in Texas. Senate Bill 571, which passed the Texas Senate yesterday in a bipartisan 30-1 vote, and Senate Bill 1437, signed into law the day before by Governor Greg Abbott, both target dangerous loopholes in the state’s “Do Not Hire” registry systems. Both key bills strengthen Texas’ “Do Not Hire” protections by closing gaps that previously allowed individuals with a history of misconduct to continue working around children in schools and juvenile facilities.
“These bills make sure misconduct gets flagged and stopped-no more passing the trash that allows predators to reappear in other educational or juvenile justice roles,” said Senator Bettencourt.
SB 571, which passed the Senate 30-1 on May 8, closes a major loophole after a contractor in Austin was found working around students despite a history of misconduct. Building on bipartisan efforts from SB 7 (2017) and HB 3 (2019), this bill ensures that all individuals on school campuses contractors. subcontractors, and volunteers-are held to the same safety standards as certified educators. It requires screening through the Do Not Hire Registry and Interagency Reportable Conduct Search Engine, expands the types of misconduct that trigger disqualification, mandates early state reporting, grants registry access to contracted entities, and strengthens TEA oversight while preserving due process rights.
SB 1437, signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 7, strengthens protections in the Texas juvenile justice system (TJJD) by expanding TJJD’s authority to permanently bar individuals from certification-even if they’re not currently certified. This includes contractors, volunteers, and probation officers. The law allows swift action by a TJJD Board panel when a threat to youth is identified, ensures due process through administrative hearings, and connects findings to the Interagency Search Engine to prevent re-employment elsewhere in the system.
“Predators should not be able to leapfrog from one juvenile facility to another just because they don’t hold a specific certification,” said Senator Bettencourt. “Kids in the juvenile system deserve the same protections as students in classrooms,” Bettencourt emphasized.
Together, SB 571 and SB 1437 represent a coordinated legislative effort in addressing critical oversight in state protections. These measures of expanding the Do Not Hire infrastructure across education and juvenile justice systems-ensures that misconduct cannot hide behind technicalities, job titles, contract type, agency loopholes or gaps in interagency communication technicalities.
“These reforms send a clear message: Texas will not tolerate anyone endangering our students or vulnerable youth,” Bettencourt Concluded. SB 571 now heads to the Texas House.
