Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB5615 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1	1		By: Rose H.B. No. 5615
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4	6		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	7		AN ACT
6	8		relating to the establishment of a grant program for preventing
7	9		violence and substance abuse in public schools.
8	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	11		SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
10	12		amended by adding Section 38.029 to read as follows:
11	13		Sec. 38.029. VIOLENCE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION GRANT
12	14		PROGRAM. (a) From money appropriated or otherwise available for
13	15		the purpose, the agency shall establish and administer a grant
14	16		program to award grants to eligible school districts to implement a
15	17		violence and substance abuse prevention program that includes
16	18		opioid abuse prevention.
17	19		(b) A school district is eligible to receive a grant under
18	20		the grant program if the district demonstrates a need for violence
19	21		and substance abuse prevention initiatives based on:
20	22		(1) incidents of violence or issues related to
21	23		substance abuse, including opioid and alcohol abuse;
22	24		(2) high rates of suspensions or expulsions from
23	25		school or law enforcement interactions related to violence or
24	26		controlled substances; and
25	27		(3) a demonstrated desire to implement proactive,
26	28		non-punitive measures that address both violence and the opioid
27	29		epidemic.
28	30		(c) An eligible school district may submit to the agency an
29	31		application to receive a grant under the grant program that
30	32		includes:
31	33		(1) an assessment of the district's needs relating to
32	34		violence and substance abuse issues;
33	35		(2) a plan for implementing a violence interrupters
34	36		program that may include a partnership with a community-based
35	37		organization, and will train staff, mediate conflicts, mentor
36	38		students, and intervene in situations of potential violence or
37	39		substance abuse before the situations escalate, including
38	40		proposals regarding staffing, training, and community
39	41		partnerships; and
40	42		(3) a budget outlining the use of grant money.
41	43		(d) The amount of a grant awarded under the grant program to
42	44		a school district must be based on:
43	45		(1) the number of students enrolled in the district;
44	46		(2) the district's need for the grant, based on
45	47		incidents of violence and substance abuse; and
46	48		(3) the quality and comprehensiveness of the
47	49		district's proposed violence interrupters program described by
48	50		Subsection (c)(2), including the integration of substance abuse
49	51		prevention efforts.
50	52		(e) A school district that receives a grant under the grant
51	53		program may partner with a community-based organization to use the
52	54		money to implement a violence and substance abuse prevention
53	55		program described by Subsection (a), including by:
54	56		(1) hiring and training employees to prevent violence
55	57		and substance abuse by specializing in de-escalation, conflict
56	58		mediation, and violence prevention;
57	59		(2) hiring and training substance abuse counselors;
58	60		(3) implementing support services for students to
59	61		prevent violence and substance abuse, including drug education,
60	62		counseling, conflict mediation, and mentoring;
61	63		(4) providing resources focused on preventing
62	64		violence and substance abuse, such as educational materials,
63	65		workshops, and community outreach programs; and
64	66		(5) evaluating and reporting on the outcomes and
65	67		effectiveness of the program in preventing violence and substance
66	68		abuse.
67	69		(f) A school district that receives a grant under the grant
68	70		program may partner with a community-based organization to develop
69	71		and execute a violence interrupter and substance abuse program for
70	72		use by the school district to educate students on a violence
71	73		interruption and substance abuse prevention techniques described
72	74		by Subsection (c)(2). The program must:
73	75		(1) include:
74	76		(A) substance abuse prevention and intervention
75	77		strategies;
76	78		(B) participation in violence abatement by
77	79		directly interacting with students; and
78	80		(C) de-escalation techniques, conflict
79	81		resolution, trauma-informed care, substance abuse intervention,
80	82		and restorative justice practices; and
81	83		(2) be offered on a continuous basis to ensure staff
82	84		and student effectiveness in addressing violence and substance
83	85		abuse; and
84	86		(3) be designed to:
85	87		(A) meet specific campus and community needs
86	88		identified by school districts and community-based organizations;
87	89		and
88	90		(B) address external, community-based factors
89	91		that affect school safety.
90	92		(g) A school district that receives a grant under the grant
91	93		program shall submit an annual report to the agency regarding:
92	94		(1) the use of grant money received under the grant
93	95		program; and
94	96		(2) the outcomes and effectiveness of the measures to
95	97		prevent violence and substance abuse implemented with the grant,
96	98		including:
97	99		(A) the number of violence and substance abuse
98	100		incidents intervened; and
99	101		(B) data on:
100	102		(i) reductions in violence and substance
101	103		abuse;
102	104		(ii) improvements in attendance and
103	105		academic performance; and
104	106		(iii) student, staff, and community
105	107		feedback on safety and substance abuse prevention.
106	108		(h) The agency shall annually conduct a statewide
107	109		evaluation of the effectiveness of violence interrupters programs
108	110		described by Subsection (c)(2) in addressing violence and substance
109	111		abuse and submit to the legislature a report on the evaluation. The
110	112		evaluation must include a cost-benefit analysis regarding the grant
111	113		program and any recommendations for improvements to or expansions
112	114		of the grant program.
113	115		(i) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
114	116		administer the grant program.
115	117		(j) This section expires September 1, 2030.
116	118		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
117	119		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
118	120		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
119	121		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
120	122		Act takes effect September 1, 2025.