Pursuant to Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 62.005, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has established a website for official internet public access to the DPS sex offender registration computerized central database. The following link is provided for your convenience:

| Texas Department of Public Safety Sex Offender Registry |

Cyberbullying involves the use of information and technology such as e-mail, instant messaging, the publishing of defamatory personal web sites, and online personal polling web sites that are used to support conscious, willful, deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by one or more people with the intent to harm others.

Here are some tips to help you protect your children against cyberbullying.

• Make sure your children do not respond to rude and harassing e-mails, messages, and postings. Keep a record of them in case you need proof. Call law enforcement and inform your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if necessary.
  
• Use web sites that translate the lingo your children are sending or receiving so that you can understand the words that are being used in e-mails and chatrooms.
  
• If your children continue to receive harassing e-mails, have them delete their current accounts and open a new one. This new e-mail address should only be given to a few people they can trust with it.
  
• If your children are receiving harassing messages through instant messaging, help them make use of the “block” or “ban” feature. This feature can be used to block certain individuals from being able to reach your child.
  
• If you have found that a cyberbully has set up a web site that is defaming or mocking your child, contact your ISP and, if necessary, also inform law enforcement to try to get that web site removed.
  
• Get your child’s school involved. Learn what the school’s policy on cyberbullying is, and urge the administrators to take a stance against all forms of bullying.
  

Source: National Center For Missing & Exploited Children, http://www.missingkids.com.

It has taken much longer than most people thought, but the UIL Anabolic Steroid Testing Program mandated by Senate Bill 8 and passed by the 80th Texas Legislature is set to begin.  Although state officials refuse to say exactly when, testing should begin sometime in February. This is a statewide random testing program which will affect student-athletes in grades 9-12, regardless of sport, gender or participation level. That means that each of the estimated 764,000 boys and girls playing any sport in the state of Texas – from golf to football to baseball to tennis can be tested, whether their sport is in or out of season.

After holding a formal bid process, the UIL considered all proposals submitted and selected The National Center for Drug Free Sport Inc., also know as Drug Free Sport, to conduct the UIL Anabolic Steroid Testing Program. With their past experience in testing NCAA student – athletes for many years and their experience in conducting high school steroid testing programs in other states, the UIL is confident that Drug Free Sports is the right company to conduct this massive testing program.

The UIL has been directed to test a statistically significant number of student-athletes in grades 9-12. The program will be funded by taxpayers and the Legislature has set aside $6 million for a two year program. Read more...