BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1720

By: Kolkhorst

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law regarding the policies required to be established by a campus threat assessment and safe and supportive school team does not address the concerns that have been raised regarding the hesitancy that some school district employees may have in reporting a potential threat to the team. These concerns may be based on a fear of retaliation if their identity is made known to the individual posing the threat. S.B. 1720 addresses these concerns by providing for a district employee reporting a potential threat to a campus threat assessment and safe and supportive school team to elect to keep their identity confidential, except as necessary for the team, district, or law enforcement to investigate the potential threat.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1720 amends the Education Code to require the policies and procedures adopted by a threat assessment and safe and supportive school team that serves at each campus of a public school district to provide for:

· a district employee who reports a potential threat to a team to elect for the employee's identity to be confidential and exempt from disclosure under state public information law, except as necessary for the team, the district, or law enforcement to investigate the potential threat; and

· the district to maintain a record of the identity of a district employee who elects for the employee's identity to be confidential.

The bill applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.