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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the membership of a public school's threat assessment |
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and safe and supportive school team and committee and the |
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permissible uses of the school safety allotment under the public |
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school finance system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 37.115(d) and (e), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) The superintendent of the district shall ensure, to the |
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greatest extent practicable, that the members appointed to each |
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team have expertise in counseling, behavior management, mental |
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health and substance use, classroom instruction, special |
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education, school administration, school safety and security, and |
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emergency management[, and law enforcement]. A team may serve more |
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than one campus of a school district, provided that each district |
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campus is assigned a team. |
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(e) The superintendent of a school district may establish a |
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committee, or assign to an existing committee established by the |
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district, the duty to oversee the operations of teams established |
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for the district. A committee with oversight responsibility under |
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this subsection must include members with expertise in human |
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resources, education, special education, counseling, behavior |
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management, school administration, mental health and substance |
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use, school safety and security, and emergency management[, and law |
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enforcement]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 48.115(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Funds allocated under this section must be used to |
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improve school safety and security, including costs associated |
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with: |
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(1) securing school facilities, including: |
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(A) improvements to school infrastructure; |
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(B) the use or installation of physical barriers; |
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and |
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(C) the purchase and maintenance of: |
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(i) security cameras or other security |
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equipment; and |
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(ii) technology, including communications |
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systems or devices, that facilitates communication and information |
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sharing between students, school personnel, and first responders in |
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an emergency; |
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(2) [providing security for the district, including: |
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[(A) employing school district peace officers, |
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private security officers, and school marshals; and |
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[(B) collaborating with local law enforcement |
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agencies, such as entering into a memorandum of understanding for |
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the assignment of school resource officers to schools in the |
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district; |
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[(3)] school safety and security training and |
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planning, including: |
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(A) active shooter and emergency response |
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training; |
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(B) prevention and treatment programs relating |
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to addressing adverse childhood experiences; and |
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(C) the prevention, identification, and |
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management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based, |
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effective prevention practices and including: |
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(i) providing licensed counselors, social |
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workers, social-emotional learning coordinators, and individuals |
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trained in restorative discipline and restorative justice |
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practices; |
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(ii) providing mental health personnel and |
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support; |
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(iii) providing behavioral health |
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services; |
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(iv) establishing threat reporting |
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systems; and |
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(v) developing and implementing programs |
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focused on social-emotional learning, restorative justice |
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practices, culturally relevant instruction, and providing mental |
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health support; and |
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(3) [(4)] providing programs related to suicide |
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prevention, intervention, and postvention. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |