87R1642 TSS-D

By: Lucio S.B. No. 894

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the model training curriculum and required education and training of security personnel employed by a school district.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 37.0812, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 37.0812. TRAINING POLICY: SCHOOL DISTRICT PEACE OFFICERS, [AND] SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, AND SECURITY PERSONNEL. (a) A school district peace officer, [or] school resource officer, or person employed as security personnel shall complete an active shooter response training program approved by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

(b) A school district that commissions a school district peace officer or employs security personnel or at which a school resource officer provides law enforcement shall adopt a policy requiring the officer or security personnel to complete the education and training program required by Section 1701.263, Occupations Code.

SECTION 2. The heading to Section 1701.262, Occupations Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1701.262. TRAINING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT PEACE OFFICERS, [AND] SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, AND SCHOOL SECURITY PERSONNEL.

SECTION 3. Section 1701.262(a), Occupations Code, is amended by adding Subdivision (5) to read as follows:

(5) "School security personnel" means a person employed as security personnel by the board of trustees of a school district under Section 37.081, Education Code.

SECTION 4. Sections 1701.262(b) and (e), Occupations Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) The commission, in consultation with an institute or the center, shall create, adopt, and distribute a model training curriculum for school district peace officers, [and] school resource officers, and school security personnel.

(e) The commission shall provide the curriculum developed under this section and any supplemental education materials created for the curriculum to:

(1) school district police departments;

(2) law enforcement agencies that place peace officers in a school as school resource officers under a memorandum of understanding; and

(3) any entity that provides training to school district peace officers, [or] school resource officers, or school security personnel.

SECTION 5. Section 1701.263, Occupations Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1701.263. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT PEACE OFFICERS, [AND] SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, AND SCHOOL SECURITY PERSONNEL. (a) In this section:

(1) "School district peace officer" and "school security personnel" have [has] the meanings [meaning] assigned by Section 1701.262.

(2) "School resource officer" has the meaning assigned by Section 1701.601.

(b) The commission by rule shall require a school district peace officer or a school resource officer who is commissioned by or who provides law enforcement at a school district or school security personnel at a school district to successfully complete an education and training program described by this section before or within 180 days of the officer's or person's commission by, [or] placement in, or employment at the district or a campus of the district. The program must:

(1) consist of at least 16 hours of training;

(2) be approved by the commission; and

(3) provide training in accordance with the curriculum developed under Section 1701.262 in each subject area listed in Subsection (c) of that section.

(b-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (b) or a rule adopted under that section, a school district peace officer, [or] school resource officer, or school security personnel is not required to successfully complete the education and training program required by this section if the officer or person has successfully completed the advanced training course conducted by the National Association of School Resource Officers or a training course equivalent to that advanced training course, as determined by the commission.

(c) The education and training program required under this section may not require a peace officer or school security personnel to pass an examination, except that the commission shall administer an examination to qualify officers or security personnel to provide the education and training to other officers or security personnel. The examination to qualify an officer or person [officers] to provide the education and training must test the officer's or person's knowledge and recognition of the subject areas listed in Section 1701.262(c).

(d) The commission shall issue a professional achievement or proficiency certificate to an [a peace] officer or person who completes the education and training program under this section.

SECTION 6. As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act and not later than December 1, 2021:

(1) a school district that employs security personnel shall adopt a policy as required by Section 37.0812(b), Education Code, as amended by this Act; and

(2) the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall amend the model training curriculum and rules as necessary to implement Sections 1701.262 and 1701.263, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act.

SECTION 7. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act but not later than August 31, 2022, a person employed as security personnel by a school district who begins employment on a date occurring before December 1, 2021, shall complete:

(1) the training required by Section 37.0812, Education Code, as amended by this Act; and

(2) the training required by Section 1701.263, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act.

(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to a person who is exempt from the training established under Section 1701.263, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, because the person has completed the training described by Subsection (b-1) of that section.

SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.