By: Shapiro S.B. No. 430
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to creation of the Texas School Safety Center.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 37, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-5 Subchapter G to read as follows:
1-6 SUBCHAPTER G. TEXAS SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER
1-7 Sec. 37.201. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "center" means
1-8 the Texas School Safety Center.
1-9 Sec. 37.202. PURPOSE. The purpose of the center is to serve
1-10 as:
1-11 (1) a central location for school safety information,
1-12 including research, training, and technical assistance related to
1-13 successful school safety programs; and
1-14 (2) a resource for the prevention of youth violence
1-15 and the promotion of safety in the state.
1-16 Sec. 37.203. BOARD. (a) The center is governed by a board
1-17 of directors composed of:
1-18 (1) the attorney general, or the attorney general's
1-19 designee;
1-20 (2) the commissioner, or the commissioner's designee;
1-21 (3) the executive director of the Texas Juvenile
1-22 Probation Commission, or the executive director's designee;
1-23 (4) the executive director of the Texas Youth
1-24 Commission, or the executive director's designee;
1-25 (5) the commissioner of the Texas Department of Mental
2-1 Health and Mental Retardation, or the commissioner's designee; and
2-2 (6) the following members appointed by the governor
2-3 with the advice and consent of the senate:
2-4 (A) a juvenile court judge;
2-5 (B) a member of a school district's board of
2-6 trustees;
2-7 (C) an administrator of a public primary school;
2-8 (D) an administrator of a public secondary
2-9 school;
2-10 (E) a member of the state parent-teacher
2-11 association;
2-12 (F) a teacher from a public primary or secondary
2-13 school;
2-14 (G) a public school superintendent who is a
2-15 member of the Texas Association of School Administrators;
2-16 (H) a school district police officer or a peace
2-17 officer whose primary duty consists of working in a public school;
2-18 and
2-19 (I) two members of the public.
2-20 (b) Members of the board appointed under Subsection (a)(6)
2-21 serve staggered two-year terms, with the terms of the members
2-22 described by Subsections (a)(6)(A)-(E) expiring on February 1 of
2-23 each odd-numbered year and the terms of the members described by
2-24 Subsections (a)(6)(F)-(I) expiring on February 1 of each
2-25 even-numbered year. A member may serve more than one term.
2-26 (c) The board may form committees as necessary.
3-1 Sec. 37.204. OFFICERS; MEETINGS; COMPENSATION. (a) The
3-2 board shall annually elect from among its members a chairperson and
3-3 a vice chairperson.
3-4 (b) The board shall meet at least four times each year.
3-5 (c) A member of the board may not receive compensation but
3-6 is entitled to reimbursement of the travel expenses incurred by the
3-7 member while conducting the business of the board as provided by
3-8 the General Appropriations Act.
3-9 Sec. 37.205. SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAMS. The center shall
3-10 conduct for school districts a safety training program that
3-11 includes:
3-12 (1) development of a positive school environment and
3-13 proactive safety measures designed to address local concerns;
3-14 (2) school safety courses for law enforcement
3-15 officials, with a focus on school district police officers and
3-16 school resource officers;
3-17 (3) discussion of school safety issues with parents
3-18 and community members; and
3-19 (4) specialized training for the staff of alternative
3-20 education programs and juvenile justice alternative education
3-21 programs.
3-22 Sec. 37.206. SCHOOL SAFETY SUMMIT. The center shall conduct
3-23 a statewide school safety summit that emphasizes mobilization of
3-24 schools, families, and communities to reduce school violence and
3-25 promote school safety.
3-26 Sec. 37.207. MODEL SAFETY AND SECURITY AUDIT PROCEDURE. The
4-1 center shall develop a model safety and security audit procedure
4-2 for use by school districts that includes:
4-3 (1) providing each district with guidelines and a
4-4 training video showing proper audit procedures;
4-5 (2) reviewing each district audit, providing the
4-6 results of the review to the district, and making recommendations
4-7 for improvements based on the audit; and
4-8 (3) incorporating the findings of district audits in a
4-9 statewide report on school safety made available by the center to
4-10 the public.
4-11 Sec. 37.208. ON-SITE ASSISTANCE. On request of a school
4-12 district, the center shall provide on-site technical assistance to
4-13 the district for:
4-14 (1) school safety and security audits; and
4-15 (2) school safety and security information and
4-16 presentations.
4-17 Sec. 37.209. CENTER WEBSITE. The center shall develop and
4-18 maintain an interactive Internet website that includes:
4-19 (1) quarterly news updates related to school safety
4-20 and violence prevention;
4-21 (2) school crime data;
4-22 (3) a schedule of training and special events; and
4-23 (4) a list of persons approved by the board to provide
4-24 school safety presentations.
4-25 Sec. 37.210. ESSAY CONTEST. The center shall sponsor a
4-26 student essay contest entitled "Charting the Course for School
5-1 Safety."
5-2 Sec. 37.211. RECOGNITION OF SCHOOLS. The center shall
5-3 provide for the public recognition of schools that implement
5-4 effective school safety measures and violence prevention.
5-5 Sec. 37.212. INTERAGENCY COOPERATION. The center shall
5-6 promote cooperation between state agencies, institutions of higher
5-7 education, and any local juvenile delinquency prevention councils
5-8 to address discipline and safety issues in the state.
5-9 Sec. 37.213. SERVICES FOR YOUTH AT RISK OF COMMITTING
5-10 VIOLENT ACTS. The center shall develop model agreements to be used
5-11 between school districts and other local entities, including health
5-12 agencies, mental health agencies, social service agencies, and
5-13 courts. The agreements must address the provision of services to
5-14 youth at risk of committing violent acts, including:
5-15 (1) cooperation between entities that provide the
5-16 services; and
5-17 (2) cost sharing by the entities.
5-18 Sec. 37.214. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CERTAIN FUNDS. The center
5-19 may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from public and
5-20 private entities to use for the purposes of this subchapter.
5-21 Sec. 37.215. BUDGET. (a) The board shall annually approve
5-22 a budget for the center.
5-23 (b) The board shall biannually prepare a budget request for
5-24 the center for submission to the legislature.
5-25 Sec. 37.216. ANNUAL REPORT. (a) Not later than September 1
5-26 of each year, the board shall provide a report to the governor, the
6-1 legislature, the State Board of Education, and the agency.
6-2 (b) The annual report must include any findings made by the
6-3 center regarding school safety and the center's functions, budget
6-4 information, and strategic planning initiatives of the center.
6-5 SECTION 2. The governor shall make the initial appointments
6-6 required by Section 37.203, Education Code, as added by this Act,
6-7 not later than October 1, 2001. Notwithstanding Subsection (b),
6-8 Section 37.203, Education Code, as added by this Act:
6-9 (1) the initial members appointed under Sections
6-10 37.203(a)(6)(A) through (E), Education Code, serve terms expiring
6-11 February 1, 2003; and
6-12 (2) the initial members appointed under Sections
6-13 37.203(a)(6)(F) through (I), Education Code, serve terms expiring
6-14 February 1, 2002.
6-15 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.