During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 12, which requires schools to obtain parental consent each year before providing certain routine services. These include physical health care through our school nurses, mental health support through our school counselors, and student participation in school-based clubs.

This law applies to all district- or campus-sponsored clubs, such as academic teams, interest-based groups, service organizations, and extracurricular activity clubs. Examples of routine services that require consent include first aid, short-term counseling, and vision or hearing screenings.