bill requiring a school health officer on every campus

The text as introduced · 902 words

89R6030 TSS-D

By: Howard
H.B. No. 2056

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the designation of a public school health officer and

the school health and safety allotment under the Foundation School

Program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 38.047 to read as follows:

Sec. 38.047. SCHOOL HEALTH OFFICER. (a) The principal of

each school district campus shall designate an employee of the

campus as the campus's school health officer.

(b) The school health officer at a school district campus

may:

(1) manage and monitor school health initiatives and

the implementation of health requirements at the campus; and

(2) notwithstanding Section 22.052, administer

medication to students enrolled at the campus in compliance with

the rules adopted under Subsection (c) and other law.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law, the executive

commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall

adopt rules regarding the administration of medication to a student

by a school health officer under this section, including rules

providing a list of medications that a school health officer may

administer.

SECTION 2. The heading to Section 48.115, Education Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 48.115. SCHOOL HEALTH AND SAFETY ALLOTMENT.

SECTION 3. Section 48.115(b), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) Funds allocated under this section must be used to

improve school district student health and school safety and

security, including costs associated with:

(1) securing school facilities in accordance with the

requirements of Section 37.351, including:

(A) improvements to school infrastructure;

(B) the use or installation of perimeter security

fencing conducive to a public school learning environment or

physical barriers, which may not include razor wire;

(C) exterior door and window safety and security

upgrades, including exterior door numbering and locking systems and

security film that provides resistance to a forced entry; and

(D) the purchase and maintenance of:

(i) security cameras and, if the district

has already installed security cameras, other security equipment,

including video surveillance as provided by Section 29.022; and

(ii) technology, including communications

systems or devices, such as silent panic alert devices, two-way

radios, or wireless Internet booster equipment, that facilitates

communication and information sharing between students, school

personnel, and first responders in an emergency;

(2) providing security for the district, including:

(A) employing school district peace officers,

private security officers, and school marshals; and

(B) collaborating with local law enforcement

agencies, such as entering into a memorandum of understanding for

the assignment of school resource officers to schools in the

district;

(3) school safety and security measures, including:

(A) active shooter and emergency response

training;

(B) prevention and treatment programs relating

to addressing adverse childhood experiences; and

(C) the prevention, identification, and

management of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based,

effective prevention practices and including:

(i) providing licensed counselors, social

workers, chaplains, and individuals trained in restorative

discipline and restorative justice practices;

(ii) providing mental health personnel and

support, including chaplains;

(iii) providing behavioral health

services, including services provided by chaplains;

(iv) establishing threat reporting

systems; and

(v) developing and implementing programs

focused on restorative justice practices, culturally relevant

instruction, and providing mental health support, including

support provided by chaplains;

(4) providing programs related to suicide prevention,

intervention, and postvention, including programs provided by

chaplains; [ and ]

(5) employing a school safety director and other

personnel to manage and monitor school safety initiatives and the

implementation of school safety requirements for the district ; and

(6) providing school health officers for each district

campus as required by Section 38.047 .

SECTION 4. Section 37.108(b-1), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(b-1) In a school district's safety and security audit

required under Subsection (b), the district must certify that the

district used the funds provided to the district through the school

health and safety allotment under Section 48.115 only for the

purposes provided by that section.

SECTION 5. Section 37.117(c), Education Code, as added by

Chapter 1 (S.B. 838), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular

Session, 2023, is amended to read as follows:

(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 health and safety allotment under Section 48.115

or other available funds; and

(2) use the district's or school's customary

procurement process.

SECTION 6. Section 37.354(a), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) The commissioner may authorize a school district to use

money provided to the district for the purpose of improving school

safety and security, including the school health and safety

allotment under Section 48.115 or any other funding or grant money

available to the district for that purpose, to comply with the

requirements of this subchapter.

SECTION 7. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human

Services Commission shall adopt the rules regarding the

administration of medication to a student by a school health

officer required by Section 38.047, Education Code, as added by

this Act.

SECTION 8. It is the intent of the 89th Legislature, Regular

Session, 2025, that the amendments made by this Act be harmonized

with another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025,

relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted

codes.

SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.