BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.S.B. 668
88R20410 CXP-D	By: West
	Education
	4/27/2023
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 668 makes available to child care facilities and other organizations providing out-of-time school care such as 4-H, after school programs, summer camps, and youth sports organizations active shooter training courses provided by school districts under Section 25.0815 of the Texas Education Code. 

The legislation requires school districts to make this training available at no cost to such organizations, and cover the costs from money made available for this purpose by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

S.B. 668 gives TEA the authority to solicit and accept gifts, grants, or donations from public and private sources to defray the cost of offering active shooter training to child care facilities and out-of-time school care organizations. 

The difference between the substitute and the introduced version of the bill is that the substitute adds the option of allowing private schools to receive the same safety training as the out-of-time care organizations.

C.S.S.B. 668 amends current law relating to allowing school districts to make available certain school safety training courses to employees of certain private schools, child-care facilities, or organizations providing out-of-school-time care.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 37, Education Code, by adding Section 37.119, as follows:

Sec. 37.119. CERTAIN PRIVATE PROVIDER ACCESS TO SCHOOL SAFETY TRAINING. (a) Defines "accredited private school," "child-care facility," and "organization providing out-of-school-time care."

(b) Authorizes a school district to make available at no cost, from money available for the purpose, school safety training courses, including active shooter training courses, approved under Section 25.0815 (Operation and Instructional Time Waivers for School Safety Training) and determined to be appropriate by the district's school safety and security committee established under Section 37.109 (School Safety and Security Committee), to employees of accredited private schools located in the district or child-care facilities or other organizations providing out-of-school-time care to children younger than 18 years of age who reside in the district.

(c) Authorizes the Texas Education Agency to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private source to pay the cost of offering a school safety training course under this section.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2023.