Texas Passes Bill Allowing Chaplains to Serve as School Counselors and Keeps Explicit Material Out of Libraries.

Texas lawmakers have passed a bill allowing unlicensed chaplains to serve as school counselors. The law permits school districts to decide whether they want a chaplain who isn’t certified by the state working alongside counselors and mental health services in their schools. The bill allows schools to use a volunteer or employ chaplains “to provide support, services, and programs for students as assigned by the board of trustees of the district or the governing body of the school.” The legislation already passed the Texas Senate and now will go to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who is likely to sign it into law.