| 1 | 1 | | 89R16128 AMF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2464 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the establishment of a school safety and mental health |
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| 10 | 10 | | grant program. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 38.041 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 38.041. SCHOOL SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH GRANT PROGRAM. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a) The agency shall establish and administer a grant program to |
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| 16 | 16 | | provide financial assistance to school districts and |
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| 17 | 17 | | open-enrollment charter schools for the purpose of implementing a |
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| 18 | 18 | | school safety and mental health program that: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) facilitates partnerships between school districts |
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| 20 | 20 | | or open-enrollment charter schools and the following entities to |
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| 21 | 21 | | provide support to district or school employees in managing the |
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| 22 | 22 | | prevention and early identification of student mental health |
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| 23 | 23 | | issues: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (A) nonprofit organizations; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (B) recognized fusion centers, as defined by |
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| 26 | 26 | | Section 421.001, Government Code, operating in the district's or |
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| 27 | 27 | | school's region; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) uses a socio-emotional wellness coach or |
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| 29 | 29 | | psychological safety officer to provide support for teachers, |
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| 30 | 30 | | administrators, support staff, and other employees or contractors |
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| 31 | 31 | | who work directly with students in a school district or |
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| 32 | 32 | | open-enrollment charter school; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | (3) provides an interactive online platform of |
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| 34 | 34 | | psychological safety information and resources for use by district |
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| 35 | 35 | | or school employees. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (b) The agency shall award a grant to each eligible school |
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| 37 | 37 | | district or open-enrollment charter school that applies for the |
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| 38 | 38 | | grant using money appropriated or otherwise available for that |
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| 39 | 39 | | purpose. The amount of a grant awarded to each eligible school |
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| 40 | 40 | | district or open-enrollment charter school under the grant program |
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| 41 | 41 | | may not exceed $100,000. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (c) The agency may adopt rules to administer the grant |
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| 43 | 43 | | program established under this section, including rules that |
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| 44 | 44 | | establish: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) eligibility criteria for grant applications; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (2) grant application procedures; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (3) guidelines related to grant amounts; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (4) procedures for evaluating grant applications; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant |
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| 50 | 50 | | awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any |
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| 51 | 51 | | condition of the grant. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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