SRC-MWN S.B. 430 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 430
77R4680 BDH-DBy: Shapiro
Education
2/23/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas School Safety Center exists as a grant funded
organization within the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the
Governor where it collects and analyzes information and provides training
related to school violence prevention. As proposed, S.B. 430 establishes
the Texas School Safety Center as a permanent entity. 

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 Chapter 37, Education Code, by adding Subchapter G, as
follows: 

SUBCHAPTER G. TEXAS SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER

 Sec. 37.201. DEFINITIONS. Defines "center."

Sec. 37.202. PURPOSE. Sets forth the purpose of the center.

Sec. 37.203. BOARD. Provides that the center is governed by a board of
directors. Sets forth the composition and terms of the board. Authorizes
the board to form committees as necessary. 

Sec. 37.204. OFFICERS; MEETINGS; COMPENSATION. Requires the board to
annually elect from among its members a chairperson and a vice chairperson.
Requires the board to meet at least four times each year. Provides that a
member of the board may not receive compensation but is entitled to
reimbursement of travel expenses. 
 
Sec. 37.205. SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAMS. Requires the center to conduct for
school districts a safety training program that includes certain criteria. 

Sec. 37.206. SCHOOL SAFETY SUMMIT. Requires the center to conduct a
statewide school safety summit that emphasizes mobilization of schools,
families, and communities to reduce school violence and promote school
safety. 

Sec. 37.207. MODEL SAFETY AND SECURITY AUDIT PROCEDURE. Requires the center
to develop a model safety and security audit procedure for use by school
districts that includes certain guidelines. 

Sec. 37.208. ON-SITE ASSISTANCE. Requires the center, on request of a
school  district, to provide on-site technical assistance to the district
for school safety and security audits, and school safety and security
information and presentations. 

 Sec. 37.209. CENTER WEBSITE. Requires the center to develop and maintain
an interactive Internet website that includes certain information. 

Sec. 37.210. ESSAY CONTEST. Requires the center to sponsor a student essay
contest entitled "Charting the Course for School Safety." 

Sec. 37.211. RECOGNITION OF SCHOOLS. Requires the center to provide for the
public recognition of schools that implement effective school safety
measures and violence prevention. 

Sec. 37.212. INTERAGENCY COOPERATION. Requires the center to promote
cooperation between state agencies, institutions of higher education, and
any local juvenile delinquency prevention councils to address discipline
and safety issues in the state. 

Sec. 37.213. SERVICES FOR AT-RISK-YOUTH. Requires the center to develop
model agreements to be used between school districts and other local
entities, including health agencies, mental health agencies, social service
agencies, and courts. Requires the agreements to address the provision of
services to at-risk-youth, including cooperation between entities that
provide the services and cost sharing by the entities. 

Sec. 37.214. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CERTAIN FUNDS. Authorizes the center to
solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from public and private
entities to use for the purposes of this subchapter. 

Sec. 37.215. BUDGET. Requires the board to annually approve a budget for
the center. Requires the board to biannually prepare a budget request for
the center for submission to the legislature. 

Sec. 37.216. ANNUAL REPORT. Requires the board, not later than September 1
of each year, to provide a report to the governor, the legislature, the
State Board of Education, and the Texas Education Agency (agency). Requires
the annual report to include any findings made by the center regarding
school safety and the center's functions, budget information, and strategic
planning initiatives of the center. 

 SECTION 2. Requires the governor to make initial appointments as required
by Section 37.203, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than
October 1, 2001. Sets forth terms for initial board members. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2001.