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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of the school safety allotment for a school |
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district's pandemic preparation and response. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 42.168, Education Code, as added by |
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Chapter 464 (S.B. 11), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2019, is transferred to Subchapter C, Chapter 48, |
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Education Code, redesignated as Section 48.115, Education Code, and |
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amended to conform to changes made by Chapter 943 (H.B. 3), Acts of |
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the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, and is further amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 48.115 [42.168]. SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT. (a) From |
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funds appropriated for that purpose, the commissioner shall provide |
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to a school district an annual allotment in the amount provided by |
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appropriation for each student in average daily attendance. |
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(b) Funds allocated under this section must be used to |
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improve school safety and security, including costs associated |
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with: |
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(1) securing school facilities, including: |
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(A) improvements to school infrastructure; |
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(B) the use or installation of physical barriers; |
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and |
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(C) the purchase and maintenance of: |
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(i) security cameras or other security |
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equipment; and |
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(ii) technology, including communications |
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systems or devices, that facilitates communication and information |
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sharing between students, school personnel, and first responders in |
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an emergency; |
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(2) providing security for the district, including: |
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(A) employing school district peace officers, |
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private security officers, and school marshals; and |
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(B) collaborating with local law enforcement |
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agencies, such as entering into a memorandum of understanding for |
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the assignment of school resource officers to schools in the |
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district; |
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(3) school safety and security training and planning, |
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including: |
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(A) active shooter and emergency response |
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training; |
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(B) prevention and treatment programs relating |
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to addressing adverse childhood experiences; and |
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(C) the prevention, identification, and |
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management of emergencies and threats, including: |
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(i) providing mental health personnel and |
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support; |
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(ii) providing behavioral health services; |
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and |
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(iii) establishing threat reporting |
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systems; [and] |
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(4) providing programs related to suicide prevention, |
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intervention, and postvention; and |
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(5) school health and safety efforts relating to |
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pandemic preparation and response, including: |
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(A) employing school nurses; and |
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(B) purchasing: |
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(i) diagnostic testing equipment; and |
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(ii) personal protective equipment. |
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(c) A school district may use funds allocated under this |
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section for equipment or software that is used for a school safety |
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and security purpose and an instructional purpose, provided that |
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the instructional use does not compromise the safety and security |
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purpose of the equipment or software. |
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(d) A school district that is required to take action under |
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Chapter 49 [41] to reduce its local revenue level [wealth per |
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student] to the [equalized wealth] level established under Section |
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48.257 is entitled to a credit, in the amount of the allotments to |
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which the district is to receive as provided by appropriation, |
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against the total amount required under Section 49.153 [41.093] for |
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the district to purchase attendance credit [credits]. |
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(e) The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails |
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over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, |
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relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted |
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codes. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |