| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a school security volunteer program. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 37, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 37.0817 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 37.0817. SCHOOL SECURITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. (a) In |
|
|
this section: |
|
|
(1) "Honorably retired" has the meaning assigned by |
|
|
Section 411.199(c), Government Code. |
|
|
(2) "Qualified retired law enforcement officer" means |
|
|
a person who: |
|
|
(A) meets the qualifications provided by 18 |
|
|
U.S.C. Section 926C(c); and |
|
|
(B) is honorably retired. |
|
|
(3) "Veteran" has the meaning assigned by Section |
|
|
521.1235, Transportation Code. |
|
|
(b) The board of trustees of a school district or the |
|
|
governing body of an open-enrollment charter school may approve a |
|
|
program under which the district or school provides written |
|
|
regulations or written authorization for eligible persons to serve |
|
|
as school security volunteers by: |
|
|
(1) providing security services for the district or |
|
|
school on school grounds, including any location in which an |
|
|
activity sponsored by the district or school is being conducted, |
|
|
and in school vehicles; and |
|
|
(2) carrying a handgun in providing the security |
|
|
services under Subdivision (1). |
|
|
(c) A person is eligible to serve as a school security |
|
|
volunteer for a program approved under this section only if: |
|
|
(1) the person is not: |
|
|
(A) an employee of the district or school; |
|
|
(B) a contractor providing services under a |
|
|
contract with the district or school; or |
|
|
(C) a person who otherwise receives compensation |
|
|
or remuneration from the district or school; and |
|
|
(2) the person is: |
|
|
(A) a qualified retired law enforcement officer; |
|
|
or |
|
|
(B) a veteran. |
|
|
(d) A school district that approves a program under this |
|
|
section must include the program in the district's multihazard |
|
|
emergency operations plan required under Section 37.108. An |
|
|
open-enrollment charter school that approves a program under this |
|
|
section must adopt and implement measures to ensure, in an |
|
|
emergency, coordination with the Department of State Health |
|
|
Services and local emergency management agencies, law enforcement |
|
|
agencies, health departments, and fire departments. |
|
|
(e) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
|
|
that approves a program under this section must provide to each |
|
|
school security volunteer a course of instruction on the safety and |
|
|
security policies of the district or school. A district must |
|
|
include instruction about the district's multihazard emergency |
|
|
operations plan adopted under Section 37.108. |
|
|
(f) A school security volunteer is immune from civil |
|
|
liability to the same extent as a professional employee of a school |
|
|
district under Section 22.0511. This subsection does not limit the |
|
|
liability of a person for intentional misconduct or gross |
|
|
negligence. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter N, Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 1702.334 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 1702.334. SCHOOL SECURITY VOLUNTEERS. This chapter |
|
|
does not apply to a person who serves as a school security volunteer |
|
|
for a school district or open-enrollment charter school under a |
|
|
program adopted under Section 37.0817, Education Code. |
|
|
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies |
|
|
beginning with the 2021-2022 school year. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |