BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.S.B. 562
88R18982 ANG-D	By: Sparks
	Education
	3/15/2023
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

In 2019, the 86th Legislature passed S.B. 11, which created safe and supportive school teams and threat assessments in school districts across Texas. Safe and supportive school teams are support systems that review threat reports, conduct threat assessments, and develop interventions to support students who are the subject of these threat assessments.

Currently, parents are notified when a student is identified of being at-risk for suicide, when trauma-informed care is administered to a student, and when safety and security audits are conducted by the school district. A safe and supportive school team may not provide mental health services to students under 18 years old without written consent from the parent.

However, there is no requirement for parental involvement in the threat assessment process, other than providing consent for the student to receive such mental health services. Related support is provided to families, and family members may be involved in the threat assessment process, but it is not mandatory for them to do so

C.S.S.B. 562 requires parents to be notified that a school's threat assessment team has plans to assess the child, prior to conducting said assessment. In conducting the assessment, C.S.S.B. 562 requires the team to allow the parent to participate in the assessment and provide the team with additional information. After the assessment is completed, the team is obliged to share its findings and conclusions with the parent. Overall, C.S.S.B. 562 provides more transparency and cooperation between the school's team and the parent.

The substitute adds the phrase "make a good faith effort" to describe how the team shall provide opportunities for the parents or guardians to participate in the threat assessment.

C.S.S.B. 562 amends current law relating to parental rights regarding a threat assessment of a student conducted by a public school's threat assessment and safe and supportive school team.

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 Section 37.115, Education Code, by adding Subsections (f-1) and (f-2), as

follows:

(f-1) Requires a team, before the team is authorized to conduct a threat assessment of a student, to notify the parent of or a person standing in parental relation to the student regarding the assessment. Requires the team, in conducting the assessment, to make a good faith effort to provide an opportunity for the parent or person to:

(1) participate in the assessment, either in person or remotely; and

(2) submit to the team information regarding the student.

(f-2) Requires the team to provide to the parent of or person standing in parental relation to the student the team's findings and conclusions regarding the student after completing a threat assessment of a student.

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2023�2024 school year.

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2023.