TITLE: Relating to the membership of a public school's threat assessment and safe and supportive school team and committee and the permissible uses of the school safety allotment under the public school finance system.

SUMMARY: Relating to the membership of a public school's threat assessment and safe and supportive school team and committee and the permissible uses of the school safety allotment under the public school finance system.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the membership of a public school's threat assessment and safe and supportive school team and committee and the permissible uses of the school safety allotment under the public school finance system. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Sections 37.115(d) and (e), Education Code, are amended to read as follows: (d) The superintendent of the district shall ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that the members appointed to each team have expertise in counseling, behavior management, mental health and substance use, classroom instruction, special education, school administration, school safety and security, and emergency management [ and law enforcement].A team may serve more than one campus of a school district, provided that each district campus is assigned a team. (e) The superintendent of a school district may establish a committee, or assign to an existing committee established by the district, the duty to oversee the operations of teams established for the district. A committee with oversight responsibility under this subsection must include members with expertise in human resources, education, special education, counseling, behavior management, school administration, mental health and substance use, school safety and security, and emergency management [ and law enforcement].SECTION 2. Section 48.115(b), Education Code, is amended to read as follows: (b) Funds allocated under this section must be used to improve school safety and security, including costs associated with: (1) securing school facilities, including: (A) improvements to school infrastructure; (B) the use or installation of physical barriers; and (C) the purchase and maintenance of: (i) security cameras or other security equipment; and (ii) technology, including communications systems or devices, that facilitates communication and information sharing between students, school personnel, and first responders in an emergency; (2) [providing security for the district, including: [(A) employing school district peace officers, private security officers, and school marshals; and [(B) collaborating with local law enforcement agencies, such as entering into a memorandum of understanding for the assignment of school resource officers to schools in the district; [(3)] school safety and security training and planning, including: (A) active shooter and emergency response training; (B) prevention and treatment programs relating to addressing adverse childhood experiences; and (C) the prevention, identification, and management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based, effective prevention practices and including: (i) providing licensed counselors, social workers, social-emotional learning coordinators, and individuals trained in restorative discipline and restorative justice practices; (ii) providing mental health personnel and support; (iii) providing behavioral health services; (iv) establishing threat reporting systems; and (v) developing and implementing programs focused on social-emotional learning, restorative justice practices, culturally relevant instruction, and providing mental health support; and (3) [(4)] providing programs related to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.