Dating Violence Education Bill Clears Senate Committee

A bill that would require public middle and high schools to educate students about how to recognize dating violence and provide them with resources to manage such situations unanimously passed a state Senate committee Saturday.

The bill is known as the Christine Blubaugh Act in honor of a Grand Prairie 16-year-old who police say was shot and killed by a boyfriend in March 2000. It cleared the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence Saturday morning.

The bill passed both the House and Senate during the regular legislative session as Senate Bill 1109, but Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed the bill because he said it did not "recognize the right of parents to opt their children out of the instruction."

State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas), who authored the bill, worked with Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) on the new Senate Bill 9, which requires schools to notify parents of the instruction.

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Grand Prairie Police Department Assistant Chief Ronnie Morris helped push legislators to take action on the bill and expressed disappointment when Abbott vetoed the bill that passed both chambers earlier this year.

He and the city's mayor worked with West on the bill.

"This legislation will help educate and protect not only our children in Grand Prairie, but children all over the State of Texas," Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen said.