By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 1720
(In the Senate - Filed March 7, 2023; March 16, 2023, read
first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 17, 2023,
reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0, one
present not voting; April 17, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the confidentiality of the identity of a public school
employee who reports a potential threat to the school's threat
assessment and safe and supportive school team.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 37.115(c), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) The board of trustees of each school district shall
establish a threat assessment and safe and supportive school team
to serve at each campus of the district and shall adopt policies and
procedures for the teams. The team is responsible for developing
and implementing the safe and supportive school program under
Subsection (b) at the district campus served by the team. The
policies and procedures adopted under this section must:
(1) be consistent with the model policies and
procedures developed by the Texas School Safety Center;
(2) require each team to complete training provided by
the Texas School Safety Center or a regional education service
center regarding evidence-based threat assessment programs; [and]
(3) require each team established under this section
to report the information required under Subsection (k) regarding
the team's activities to the agency; and
(4) provide for:
(A) a district employee who reports a potential
threat to a team to elect for the employee's identity to be
confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552,
Government Code, except as necessary for the team, the district, or
law enforcement to investigate the potential threat; and
(B) the district to maintain a record of the
identity of a district employee who elects for the employee's
identity to be confidential under Paragraph (A).
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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