AUSTIN, Texas -- Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law a crackdown on inappropriate relationships between teachers and students.
The measure requires principals and superintendents to report inappropriate teacher-student relationships or face jail time and fines up to $10,000. The teacher's family could also lose access to the teacher's pension.
It further mandates that a teacher automatically lose his or her license if he or she has to register as a sex offender.
Teachers would also get training on how to properly handle personal boundaries and relationships with students.
WFAA's "Passing The Trash" investigation last year revealed how school administrators were allowing teachers who molest students to pass from school to school -- some with glowing job reviews.
The Texas Education Agency in 2016 opened 220-plus investigations involving inappropriate teacher-student relationships.
Abbott signed the bill Thursday during a ceremony in his office at the state Capitol saying, "Texas will protect its children from sexual predators in our classrooms."