BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 974
	By: Metcalf et al. (Taylor)
	Education
	5/15/2019
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

There have been calls to implement measures directed at enhancing and ensuring school safety. H.B. 974 seeks to do this by increasing the frequency with which safety and security audits are conducted by public school districts and public junior colleges and standardizing public school district entry procedures for certain visitors to district campuses.

 

H.B. amends current law relating to public school safety measures and procedures.

 

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 Section 11.159, Education Code, by adding Subsection (b-1), as follows:

 

(b-1) Requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to require a trustee to complete training on school safety. Requires SBOE, in coordination with the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), to develop the curriculum and materials for the training.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 38.022, Education Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (c-1), (c-2), and (e), as follows:

 

(a) Requires a school district to require a person who enters a district campus for a purpose other than to attend a school-sponsored event that is open to the public, rather than authorizing a school district to require a person who enters a district campus, to display the person�s driver�s license or another form of identification containing the person�s photograph issued by a governmental entity.

 

(c) Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes to this subsection.

 

(c-1) Authorizes a school district to verify whether a person who visits a district campus to attend a school-sponsored event that is open to the public is a sex offender registered with the computerized central database maintained by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas as provided by Article 62.005 (Central Database; Public Information), Code of Criminal Procedure, or any other database accessible by the district.

 

(c-2) Authorizes a school district to:

 

(1) develop a form of identification containing a person�s photograph that is valid only during the school year for which it is issued; and

 

(2) issue that form of identification to a student�s parent or guardian who does not possess any other form of identification described by Subsection (a).

 

(e) Provides that, for purposes of this section, an event is a school-sponsored event that is open to the public if the event is held on a district campus and individuals other than district employees or students are encouraged, invited, or permitted to attend.

 

SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2019�2020 school year.

 

SECTION 4. Requires SBOE, in coordination with TxSSC, not later than January 1, 2020, to develop the curriculum and materials for the training on school safety required under Section 11.159(b-1), Education Code, as added by this Act.

 

SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.