Bill Text: TX HB204 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools providing panic alert devices in classrooms.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-05-07 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB204 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB204-Comm_Sub.html
| 87R22655 JES-D | |||
| By: Thierry, Bonnen, Patterson, et al. | H.B. No. 204 | ||
| Substitute the following for H.B. No. 204: | |||
| By: Dutton | C.S.H.B. No. 204 | ||
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| relating to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools | ||
| providing panic alert devices in classrooms. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as Alyssa's Law. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 37, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Sections 37.116 and 37.117 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 37.116. PANIC ALERT DEVICE. (a) Except as provided by | ||
| Section 37.117, each school district and open-enrollment charter | ||
| school shall provide each classroom in the district or school with a | ||
| panic alert device that allows for immediate contact with district | ||
| emergency services or emergency services agencies, law enforcement | ||
| agencies, health departments, and fire departments. | ||
| (b) A panic alert device provided by a school district or | ||
| open-enrollment charter school under this section does not satisfy | ||
| the requirement under Section 37.108(a)(2) for the district or | ||
| school to ensure employees have classroom access to a telephone or | ||
| another electronic communication device. | ||
| (c) To comply with this section, a school district or | ||
| open-enrollment charter school may: | ||
| (1) use funds provided to the district or school | ||
| through the school safety allotment under Section 42.168 or other | ||
| available funds; and | ||
| (2) use the district's or school's customary | ||
| procurement process. | ||
| Sec. 37.117. PANIC ALERT DEVICE OPT-OUT RESOLUTION. The | ||
| board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of an | ||
| open-enrollment charter school may elect not to provide panic alert | ||
| devices as required by Section 37.116 if the board or governing body | ||
| determines that the district or school does not have sufficient | ||
| money available to provide the devices. An election made under this | ||
| section must be authorized by a resolution adopted by majority vote | ||
| of the board or governing body in an open meeting. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 | ||
| school year. | ||
| SECTION 4. 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, 2021. | ||
