SB 11(Taylor/Bonnen) Relating to policies, procedures, and measures for school safety and mental health promotion in public schools was sent to the Governor on 5/28. SB 10 creating the Texas Mental Health Care Consortium and mentioned in the Governor’s State of the State, was killed in the House on 5/21 in a procedural move under a point of order called by Rep. Stickland. However, in another procedural move later in the evening, SB 11 (Taylor/Bonnen) was bought back to the body and language from SB 10 was amended onto it; SB 11 as amended then finally passed the House with 135 ayes and 7 nays and was sent to conference. The conference committee report for SB 11 includes:
- A school safety allotment to be used for securing facilities, providing security, and safety training and planning
- Modified provisions from SB 10 creating the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium, which works with health-related institutions of higher education to address mental health care challenges and improve the mental health care system in relation to children and adolescents
- The Consortium would also establish child psychiatry access centers and expand telemedicine programs at member institutions
- For ISDs, emergency response protocols and training, suicide prevention programs and training, development of trauma-informed care policies, parental notification when threats are received
- The Commissioner of Education is directed to adopt safety and security rules on building standards for ISDs and charter facilities
- The Texas School Safety Center is directed to audit ISDs on safety and security and report finding to TEA
SB 500 (Supplemental appropriations) – $100 million to provide funding to schools for exterior doors with push bars; metal detectors; vehicle barriers; security systems that monitor and record school entrances, exits, and hallways; campus-wide active shooter alarm systems; two-way radio systems; perimeter security fencing; bullet-resistant glass or film, door-locking systems.
HB 1 Budget – HB 1 appropriates $13.2 million for 2020 and $11.2 million for 2021 to TEA for Health and Safety (Strategy B.2.2). Funding for Customized School Safety Programming. Out of funds appropriated above in Strategy B.2.2, Health and Safety, the Commissioner shall allocate $1,000,000 in General Revenue Funds in each fiscal year of the biennium to a non-governmental organization with an established safe school institute for the purposes of providing customized school safety programming. The Commissioner may require the organization to provide any expenditure and performance data necessary to assess the success of the program.
HB 2994 (Talarico) Relating to mental health training for public school educators was left pending in House Public Education.