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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools |
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providing panic alert devices in classrooms. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as Alyssa's Law. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 37, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 37.117 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 37.117. PANIC ALERT DEVICE. (a) Each school district |
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and open-enrollment charter school shall provide each classroom in |
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the district or school with a panic alert device that allows for |
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immediate contact with district or school emergency services or |
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emergency services agencies, law enforcement agencies, health |
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departments, and fire departments. |
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(b) A panic alert device provided by a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school under this section does not satisfy |
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the requirement under Section 37.108(a)(2) for the district or |
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school to ensure employees have classroom access to a telephone or |
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another electronic communication device. |
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(c) To comply with this section, a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school may: |
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(1) use funds provided to the district or school |
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through the school safety allotment under Section 48.115 or other |
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available funds; and |
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(2) use the district's or school's customary |
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procurement process. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |