Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB752 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R2753 MM-D
2	2	By: Menéndez S.B. No. 752
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to measures to ensure the safety of individuals with
10	10	disabilities during an emergency situation at public postsecondary
11	11	institutions.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Section 51.217(b), Education Code, is amended to
14	14	read as follows:
15	15	(b) An institution shall adopt and implement a multihazard
16	16	emergency operations plan for use at the institution. The plan must
17	17	address mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The plan
18	18	must provide for:
19	19	(1) employee training in responding to an emergency;
20	20	(2) mandatory drills to prepare students, faculty, and
21	21	employees for responding to an emergency;
22	22	(3) measures to ensure coordination with the
23	23	Department of State Health Services, local emergency management
24	24	agencies, law enforcement, health departments, and fire
25	25	departments in the event of an emergency; [and]
26	26	(4) the implementation of a safety and security audit
27	27	as required by Subsection (c); and
28	28	(5) measures for ensuring that, during an emergency
29	29	situation, students, institution personnel, and guests with
30	30	disabilities are provided equal access to safety based on the rules
31	31	adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under
32	32	Section 61.06643, including the development of an emergency plan
33	33	that will accommodate individuals with different disabilities and
34	34	provide them with access to emergency evacuation assistance devices
35	35	in appropriate circumstances.
36	36	SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
37	37	amended by adding Section 51.222 to read as follows:
38	38	Sec. 51.222. EMERGENCY EVACUATION ASSISTANCE DEVICES
39	39	REQUIRED. (a) In this section, "institution of higher education"
40	40	has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
41	41	(b) For each building that is located on the campus of an
42	42	institution of higher education and that has two or more floors, the
43	43	institution shall install on each floor emergency evacuation
44	44	assistance devices for use by individuals with disabilities who
45	45	require mobility assistance.
46	46	(c) An institution may use any available revenue, including
47	47	grants under Section 61.06644 and legislative appropriations, and
48	48	may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public
49	49	or private source for the purposes of this section.
50	50	SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
51	51	amended by adding Sections 61.06643 and 61.06644 to read as
52	52	follows:
53	53	Sec. 61.06643. RULES REGARDING MULTIHAZARD EMERGENCY
54	54	OPERATIONS PLAN PROVISIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. (a)
55	55	The board shall adopt rules for the required provisions in an
56	56	institution's multihazard emergency operations plan under Section
57	57	51.217(b)(5) to ensure the safety of students, institution
58	58	personnel, and guests with disabilities during an emergency
59	59	situation.
60	60	(b) In adopting rules under Subsection (a), the board shall
61	61	consult with:
62	62	(1) the advisory council on postsecondary education
63	63	for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities
64	64	established under Section 61.06641;
65	65	(2) the Governor's Committee on People with
66	66	Disabilities; and
67	67	(3) the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.
68	68	(c) An institution must follow the rules adopted by the
69	69	board under Subsection (a) in adopting and implementing the
70	70	institution's multihazard emergency operations plan under Section
71	71	51.217.
72	72	Sec. 61.06644. EMERGENCY EVACUATION ASSISTANCE DEVICES FOR
73	73	INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The board shall
74	74	establish and administer the emergency evacuation assistance
75	75	devices for individuals with disabilities grant program to provide
76	76	grants to institutions of higher education to enable those
77	77	institutions to purchase and install, and to train institution
78	78	personnel to operate, any emergency evacuation assistance devices
79	79	required under Section 51.222.
80	80	(b) In awarding grants under this section, the board shall
81	81	give priority to institutions that demonstrate the highest need
82	82	based on the number of students on the institution's campus who
83	83	would require an emergency evacuation assistance device in an
84	84	emergency situation.
85	85	(c) A grant provided under this section:
86	86	(1) must be used for purchasing and installing any
87	87	emergency evacuation assistance devices required under Section
88	88	51.222; and
89	89	(2) may be used to provide any training that is
90	90	necessary for institution personnel to:
91	91	(A) administer the institution's evacuation plan
92	92	with respect to the devices; or
93	93	(B) assist other individuals in operating the
94	94	devices.
95	95	(d) The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
96	96	donations from any public or private source for purposes of this
97	97	section.
98	98	(e) The board shall adopt rules for the administration of
99	99	this section, including rules creating a process for institutions
100	100	of higher education to apply for grants, establishing procedures
101	101	and criteria for evaluating those applications and awarding the
102	102	grants, and verifying that grant funds awarded under this section
103	103	are used appropriately.
104	104	SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
105	105	of this Act but not later than May 1, 2026, the Texas Higher
106	106	Education Coordinating Board shall adopt the rules required by
107	107	Sections 61.06643 and 61.06644, Education Code, as added by this
108	108	Act.
109	109	SECTION 5. Section 51.222, Education Code, as added by this
110	110	Act, applies beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year.
111	111	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
112	112	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
113	113	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
114	114	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
115	115	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.