BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 168
87R1977 KJE-D	By: Blanco
	Education
	4/21/2021
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Evidence suggests that active shooter drills may be harmful to the mental health of students and school staff. According to a recent study, active shooter drills are associated with increases in depression (39 percent), stress and anxiety (42 percent), and physiological health problems (23 percent) for children as young as five years old up to high schoolers, their parents, and teachers.

S.B. 168 requires a school district to adopt trauma-informed methods and policies regarding active shooter drills prior to conducting a drill. This is supported by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA).

As proposed, S.B. 168 amends current law relating to active shooter drills conducted by public schools.

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 Subchapter D, Chapter 37, Education Code, by adding Section 37.1141, as follows:

Sec. 37.1141.� ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILL REQUIREMENTS.� (a) Requires a school district, before the district is authorized to conduct an active shooter drill, to adopt a policy on active shooter drills that complies with this section.

(b) Requires that the policy:

(1) prohibit an active shooter drill from including simulations that mimic or appear to be an actual shooting incident;

(2) require that adequate notice of an active shooter drill be provided to parents of students expected to participate in the drill, including information regarding the date on which the drill will occur and the content, form, and tone of the drill;

(3) require the announcement of an active shooter drill to students and faculty before the start of the drill;

(4) establish standards regarding the content of an active shooter drill, including that the content be age and developmentally appropriate, be developed by a team of school administrators, teachers, school-based mental health professionals, and law enforcement officers, with input from parents and students, and incorporate trauma-informed practices to directly address the well-being of students who participate in the drill; and

(5) provide for the tracking of data regarding the efficacy and impact of active shooter drills conducted by the district, including any symptoms or indicators of trauma among student participants that result from such a drill.

SECTION 2. Reenacts Section 12.104(b), Education Code, as amended by Chapters 262 (H.B. 1597), 464 (S.B. 11), 467 (H.B. 4170), and 943 (H.B. 3), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, and amends it to provide that an open-enrollment charter school is subject to school safety requirements under Section 37.1141, Education Code. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 school year.

SECTION 4. Provides that, to the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2021.