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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the membership of a school district's threat assessment |
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and safe and supportive school team and committee and the school |
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safety allotment under the public school finance system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 37.108(b-1), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b-1) In a school district's safety and security audit |
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required under Subsection (b), the district must certify that the |
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district used the funds provided to the district through the school |
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safety allotment under Section 48.115 [42.168] only for the |
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purposes provided by that section. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 37.115(d) and (e), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) The superintendent of the district shall ensure that the |
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members appointed to each team have expertise in counseling, |
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behavior management, mental health and substance use, classroom |
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instruction, special education, school administration, school |
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safety and security, and emergency management[, and law |
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enforcement]. A team may serve more than one campus of a school |
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district, provided that each district campus is assigned a team. |
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(e) The superintendent of a school district may establish a |
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committee, or assign to an existing committee established by the |
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district, the duty to oversee the operations of teams established |
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for the district. A committee with oversight responsibility under |
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this subsection must include members with expertise in human |
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resources, education, special education, counseling, behavior |
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management, school administration, mental health and substance |
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use, school safety and security, and emergency management[, and law |
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enforcement]. |
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SECTION 3. 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, |
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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 further amended to |
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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 |
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planning, 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, using evidence-based, |
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effective prevention practices and including: |
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(i) providing licensed counselors, social |
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workers, social-emotional learning coordinators, and individuals |
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trained in restorative discipline and restorative justice |
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practices; |
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(ii) providing mental health personnel and |
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support; |
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(iii) [(ii)] providing behavioral health |
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services; [and] |
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(iv) [(iii)] establishing threat reporting |
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systems; and |
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(v) developing and implementing programs |
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focused on social-emotional learning, restorative justice |
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practices, culturally relevant instruction, and providing mental |
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health support; and |
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(3) [(4)] providing programs related to suicide |
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prevention, intervention, and postvention. |
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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) The commissioner shall annually publish a report |
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regarding funds allocated under this section including the |
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programs, personnel, and resources purchased by districts using |
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funds under this section and other purposes for which the funds were |
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used [A school district that is required to take action under |
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Chapter 41 to reduce its wealth per student to the equalized wealth |
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level 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 41.093 for the |
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district to purchase attendance credits]. |
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[(e) The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this |
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section.] |
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SECTION 4. 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 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |