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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to emergency operations plans for school districts and |
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public junior colleges to promote safe and positive schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 37.108, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending subsections (a) and (c-2): |
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Sec. 37.108. MULTIHAZARD EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN; SAFETY |
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AND SECURITY AUDIT. (a) Each school district or public junior |
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college district shall adopt and implement a multihazard emergency |
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operations plan for use in the district's facilities. The plan must |
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address prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and |
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recovery as defined by the Texas School Safety Center in |
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conjunction with the governor's office of homeland security and the |
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commissioner of education or commissioner of higher education, as |
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applicable. The plan must provide for: |
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(1) training in responding to an emergency for |
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district employees, including substitute teachers; |
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(2) measures to ensure district employees, including |
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substitute teachers, have classroom access to a telephone, |
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including a cellular telephone, or another electronic |
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communication device allowing for immediate contact with district |
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emergency services or emergency services agencies, law enforcement |
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agencies, health departments, and fire departments; |
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(3) measures to ensure district communications |
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technology and infrastructure are adequate to allow for |
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communication during an emergency; |
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(4) measures to ensure district employees are trained |
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and supported in implementing evidence-based strategies to create |
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positive and safe school environments and build relationships |
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between students, staff, and families. The measures must: |
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(A) be age-appropriate and evidence-based; |
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(B) emphasize preventative measures; |
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(C) include training and professional |
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development opportunities to increase the likelihood of proper |
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implementation and account for employee turnover; and |
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(D) include districtwide trainings that focus |
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on: |
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(i) multi-tiered systems of support for |
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academic and behavioral success; |
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(ii) robust family engagement programs that |
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strengthen the school community; |
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(iii) trauma-informed practices as defined |
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in Section 38.036; |
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(iv) recognizing and responding to the |
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underlying causes of chronic absenteeism, including through social |
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support services, as necessary; and |
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(v) recognizing and responding to student |
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and employee needs that may impact their ability to thrive |
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academically or engage in the school community, and making |
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referrals to social support services or other school- or |
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community-based services, as necessary. |
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(E) provide opportunities for student, parent, |
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educator, and community feedback on implementation of the measures |
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required by this section. |
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(4) if the plan applies to a school district, |
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mandatory school drills and exercises, including drills required |
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under Section 37.114, to prepare district students and employees |
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for responding to an emergency; |
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(5) measures to ensure coordination with the |
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Department of State Health Services and local emergency management |
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agencies, law enforcement, health departments, and fire |
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departments in the event of an emergency; and |
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(6) the implementation of a safety and security audit |
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as required by Subsection (b). |
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(c-2) A document relating to a school district's or public |
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junior college district's multihazard emergency operations plan is |
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subject to disclosure if the document enables a person to: |
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(1) verify that the district has established a plan |
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and determine the agencies involved in the development of the plan |
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and the agencies coordinating with the district to respond to an |
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emergency, including the Department of State Health Services, local |
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emergency services agencies, law enforcement agencies, health |
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departments, and fire departments; |
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(2) verify that the district's plan was reviewed |
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within the last 12 months and determine the specific review dates; |
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(3) verify that the plan addresses the five phases of |
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emergency management under Subsection (a); |
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(4) verify that district employees have been trained |
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to respond to an emergency and determine the types of training, the |
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number of employees trained, and the person conducting the |
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training; |
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(5) verify that each campus in the district has |
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conducted mandatory emergency drills and exercises in accordance |
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with the plan and determine the frequency of the drills; |
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(6) if the district is a school district, verify that |
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the district has established a plan for responding to a train |
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derailment if required under Subsection (d); |
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(7) verify that the district has completed a safety |
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and security audit under Subsection (b) and determine the date the |
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audit was conducted, the person conducting the audit, and the date |
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the district presented the results of the audit to the district's |
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board of trustees; |
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(8) verify information about the preventative |
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measures the district has taken under subsection (a)(4); |
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([8]9) verify that the district has addressed any |
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recommendations by the district's board of trustees for improvement |
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of the plan and determine the district's progress within the last 12 |
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months; and |
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([9]10) if the district is a school district, verify |
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that the district has established a visitor policy and identify the |
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provisions governing access to a district building or other |
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district property. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |