1-1     By:  Shapiro                                           S.B. No. 430
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 29, 2001; January 29, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Education;
 1-4     March 12, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; March 12, 2001,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 430                  By:  Shapiro
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to creation of the Texas School Safety Center.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Chapter 37, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-13     Subchapter G to read as follows:
1-14                  SUBCHAPTER G. TEXAS SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER
1-15           Sec. 37.201.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "center" means
1-16     the Texas School Safety Center.
1-17           Sec. 37.202.  PURPOSE.  The purpose of the center is to serve
1-18     as:
1-19                 (1)  a central location for school safety information,
1-20     including research, training, and technical assistance related to
1-21     successful school safety programs; and
1-22                 (2)  a resource for the prevention of youth violence
1-23     and the promotion of safety in the state.
1-24           Sec. 37.203.  BOARD.  (a)  The center is governed by a board
1-25     of directors composed of:
1-26                 (1)  the attorney general, or the attorney general's
1-27     designee;
1-28                 (2)  the commissioner, or the commissioner's designee;
1-29                 (3)  the executive director of the Texas Juvenile
1-30     Probation Commission, or the executive director's designee;
1-31                 (4)  the executive director of the Texas Youth
1-32     Commission, or the executive director's designee;
1-33                 (5)  the commissioner of the Texas Department of Mental
1-34     Health and Mental Retardation, or the commissioner's designee; and
1-35                 (6)  the following members appointed by the governor
1-36     with the advice and consent of the senate:
1-37                       (A)  a juvenile court judge;
1-38                       (B)  a member of a school district's board of
1-39     trustees;
1-40                       (C)  an administrator of a public primary school;
1-41                       (D)  an administrator of a public secondary
1-42     school;
1-43                       (E)  a member of the state parent-teacher
1-44     association;
1-45                       (F)  a teacher from a public primary or secondary
1-46     school;
1-47                       (G)  a public school superintendent who is a
1-48     member of the Texas Association of School Administrators;
1-49                       (H)  a school district police officer or a peace
1-50     officer whose primary duty consists of working in a public school;
1-51     and
1-52                       (I)  two members of the public.
1-53           (b)  Members of the board appointed under Subsection (a)(6)
1-54     serve staggered two-year terms, with the terms of the members
1-55     described by Subsections (a)(6)(A)-(E) expiring on February 1 of
1-56     each odd-numbered year and the terms of the members described by
1-57     Subsections (a)(6)(F)-(I) expiring on February 1 of each
1-58     even-numbered year.  A member may serve more than one term.
1-59           (c)  The board may form committees as necessary.
1-60           Sec. 37.204.  OFFICERS; MEETINGS; COMPENSATION.  (a)  The
1-61     board shall annually elect from among its members a chairperson and
1-62     a vice chairperson.
1-63           (b)  The board shall meet at least four times each year.
1-64           (c)  A member of the board may not receive compensation but
 2-1     is entitled to reimbursement of the travel expenses incurred by the
 2-2     member while conducting the business of the board as provided by
 2-3     the General Appropriations Act.
 2-4           Sec. 37.205.  SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAMS.  The center shall
 2-5     conduct for school districts a safety training program that
 2-6     includes:
 2-7                 (1)  development of a positive school environment and
 2-8     proactive safety measures designed to address local concerns;
 2-9                 (2)  school safety courses for law enforcement
2-10     officials, with a focus on school district police officers and
2-11     school resource officers;
2-12                 (3)  discussion of school safety issues with parents
2-13     and community members; and
2-14                 (4)  specialized training for the staff of alternative
2-15     education programs and juvenile justice alternative education
2-16     programs.
2-17           Sec. 37.206.  SCHOOL SAFETY SUMMIT.  The center shall conduct
2-18     a statewide school safety summit that emphasizes mobilization of
2-19     schools, families, and communities to reduce school violence and
2-20     promote school safety.
2-21           Sec. 37.207.  MODEL SAFETY AND SECURITY AUDIT PROCEDURE.  The
2-22     center shall develop a model safety and security audit procedure
2-23     for use by school districts that includes:
2-24                 (1)  providing each district with guidelines and a
2-25     training video showing proper audit procedures;
2-26                 (2)  reviewing each district audit, providing the
2-27     results of the review to the district, and making recommendations
2-28     for improvements based on the audit; and
2-29                 (3)  incorporating the findings of district audits in a
2-30     statewide report on school safety made available by the center to
2-31     the public.
2-32           Sec. 37.208.  ON-SITE ASSISTANCE.  On request of a school
2-33     district, the center shall provide on-site technical assistance to
2-34     the district for:
2-35                 (1)  school safety and security audits; and
2-36                 (2)  school safety and security information and
2-37     presentations.
2-38           Sec. 37.209.  CENTER WEBSITE.  The center shall develop and
2-39     maintain an interactive Internet website that includes:
2-40                 (1)  quarterly news updates related to school safety
2-41     and violence prevention;
2-42                 (2)  school crime data;
2-43                 (3)  a schedule of training and special events; and
2-44                 (4)  a list of persons approved by the board to provide
2-45     school safety presentations.
2-46           Sec. 37.210.  ESSAY CONTEST.  The center shall sponsor a
2-47     student essay contest entitled "Charting the Course for School
2-48     Safety."
2-49           Sec. 37.211.  RECOGNITION OF SCHOOLS.  The center shall
2-50     provide for the public recognition of schools that implement
2-51     effective school safety measures and violence prevention.
2-52           Sec. 37.212.  INTERAGENCY COOPERATION.  The center shall
2-53     promote cooperation between state agencies, institutions of higher
2-54     education, and any local juvenile delinquency prevention councils
2-55     to address discipline and safety issues in the state.
2-56           Sec. 37.213.  SERVICES FOR AT-RISK YOUTH.  The center shall
2-57     develop model agreements to be used between school districts and
2-58     other local entities, including health agencies, mental health
2-59     agencies, social service agencies, and courts.  The agreements must
2-60     address the provision of services to at-risk youth, including:
2-61                 (1)  cooperation between entities that provide the
2-62     services; and
2-63                 (2)  cost sharing by the entities.
2-64           Sec. 37.214.  AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CERTAIN FUNDS.  The center
2-65     may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from public and
2-66     private entities to use for the purposes of this subchapter.
2-67           Sec. 37.215.  BUDGET.  (a)  The board shall annually approve
2-68     a budget for the center.
2-69           (b)  The board shall biannually prepare a budget request for
 3-1     the center for submission to the legislature.
 3-2           Sec. 37.216.  ANNUAL REPORT.  (a)  Not later than September 1
 3-3     of each year, the board shall provide a report to the governor, the
 3-4     legislature, the State Board of Education, and the agency.
 3-5           (b)  The annual report must include any findings made by the
 3-6     center regarding school safety and the center's functions, budget
 3-7     information, and strategic planning initiatives of the center.
 3-8           SECTION 2.  The governor shall make the initial appointments
 3-9     required by Section 37.203, Education Code, as added by this Act,
3-10     not later than October 1, 2001.  Notwithstanding Subsection (b),
3-11     Section 37.203, Education Code, as added by this Act:
3-12                 (1)  the initial members appointed under Sections
3-13     37.203(a)(6)(A) through (E), Education Code, serve terms expiring
3-14     February 1, 2003; and
3-15                 (2)  the initial members appointed under Sections
3-16     37.203(a)(6)(F) through (I), Education Code, serve terms expiring
3-17     February 1, 2002.
3-18           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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