Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 11	Senate Author:  Taylor et al.
Effective:  6-6-19	House Sponsor:  Bonnen, Greg et al.

            Senate Bill 11 amends the Education Code and Occupations Code to revise and expand provisions relating to a public school district or public junior college district multihazard emergency operations plan, relating to a district safety and security audit and associated report to the Texas School Safety Center, and relating to additional plan components required specifically for a school district. The bill requires a school district board of trustees to hold a public hearing if the district receives a certain notice of noncompliance regarding the plan and sets out related requirements. The bill authorizes certain commissioner of education interventions for a noncompliant district. The bill sets out the composition of a local school safety and security committee, expands the duties of such a committee, and revises provisions relating to its meetings. The bill provides for parental notification by a school district that receives certain threats and for drills and procedures relating to emergency evacuations. The bill provides for the establishment of a safe and supportive school program, requires each district board of trustees to establish a threat assessment and safe and supportive school team, and sets out related provisions. The bill sets out certain powers and duties of the Texas School Safety Center concerning a school district or junior college district multihazard operations plan, which include the periodic review and verification of the district's plan and certain interventions triggered by an unsatisfactory or unreported district audit. The bill explicitly subjects an open‑enrollment charter school to these provisions regarding safety and security.

            Senate Bill 11 requires the center to develop model policies and procedures for threat assessment teams. The bill extends a required education and training requirement for a public school district peace officer or school resource officer to a district with fewer than 30,000 enrolled students and requires the commissioner of education to provide a waiver of operational minutes requirements for a district that requires each of its educators to attend a qualifying school safety training course. The bill creates a school safety allotment under the foundation school program for the improvement of school safety and security, as specified by the bill; authorizes the commissioner to establish and administer a grant program for similar purposes; and revises independent school district bond‑issuing authority to include certain relevant vehicle retrofitting or purchases.

            Senate Bill 11 revises and expands certain public school curriculum requirements to incorporate mental health, suicide prevention, and digital citizenship, including cyberbullying information. The bill extends the duties of a local school health advisory council to address parental awareness of suicide‑related risk factors and warning signs of such risk and other behavioral health concerns. The bill requires each district to adopt and implement a policy requiring the integration of trauma‑informed care practices in each school environment and sets out related provisions, including training and reporting requirements. The bill requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to develop a rubric for use by regional education service centers in identifying specified regionally available mental health resources, requires each service center to produce an inventory of such resources, and requires TEA to develop and to revise biennially a statewide resource inventory and statewide plan for student mental health.

            Senate Bill 11 amends the Health and Safety Code to establish the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium and sets out provisions relating to its purpose, composition, administration, and duties. Among other provisions, the bill requires the consortium to establish a network of comprehensive child psychiatry access centers at participating health‑related institutions of higher education and establish certain telemedicine or telehealth programs. The bill authorizes the consortium to provide funding for certain professional child psychiatry workforce expansion programs.

Implementation of a provision of Senate Bill 11 by TEA or the Texas School Safety Center is mandatory only if a specific appropriation is made for that purpose.