school violence and drug prevention grants, money permitting

The text as introduced · 831 words

By: Rose
H.B. No. 5615

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of a grant program for preventing

violence and substance abuse in public schools.

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

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

amended by adding Section 38.029 to read as follows:

Sec. 38.029. VIOLENCE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION GRANT

PROGRAM. (a) From money appropriated or otherwise available for

the purpose, the agency shall establish and administer a grant

program to award grants to eligible school districts to implement a

violence and substance abuse prevention program that includes

opioid abuse prevention.

(b) A school district is eligible to receive a grant under

the grant program if the district demonstrates a need for violence

and substance abuse prevention initiatives based on:

(1) incidents of violence or issues related to

substance abuse, including opioid and alcohol abuse;

(2) high rates of suspensions or expulsions from

school or law enforcement interactions related to violence or

controlled substances; and

(3) a demonstrated desire to implement proactive,

non-punitive measures that address both violence and the opioid

epidemic.

(c) An eligible school district may submit to the agency an

application to receive a grant under the grant program that

includes:

(1) an assessment of the district's needs relating to

violence and substance abuse issues;

(2) a plan for implementing a violence interrupters

program that may include a partnership with a community-based

organization, and will train staff, mediate conflicts, mentor

students, and intervene in situations of potential violence or

substance abuse before the situations escalate, including

proposals regarding staffing, training, and community

partnerships; and

(3) a budget outlining the use of grant money.

(d) The amount of a grant awarded under the grant program to

a school district must be based on:

(1) the number of students enrolled in the district;

(2) the district's need for the grant, based on

incidents of violence and substance abuse; and

(3) the quality and comprehensiveness of the

district's proposed violence interrupters program described by

Subsection (c)(2), including the integration of substance abuse

prevention efforts.

(e) A school district that receives a grant under the grant

program may partner with a community-based organization to use the

money to implement a violence and substance abuse prevention

program described by Subsection (a), including by:

(1) hiring and training employees to prevent violence

and substance abuse by specializing in de-escalation, conflict

mediation, and violence prevention;

(2) hiring and training substance abuse counselors;

(3) implementing support services for students to

prevent violence and substance abuse, including drug education,

counseling, conflict mediation, and mentoring;

(4) providing resources focused on preventing

violence and substance abuse, such as educational materials,

workshops, and community outreach programs; and

(5) evaluating and reporting on the outcomes and

effectiveness of the program in preventing violence and substance

abuse.

(f) A school district that receives a grant under the grant

program may partner with a community-based organization to develop

and execute a violence interrupter and substance abuse program for

use by the school district to educate students on a violence

interruption and substance abuse prevention techniques described

by Subsection (c)(2). The program must:

(1) include:

(A) substance abuse prevention and intervention

strategies;

(B) participation in violence abatement by

directly interacting with students; and

(C) de-escalation techniques, conflict

resolution, trauma-informed care, substance abuse intervention,

and restorative justice practices; and

(2) be offered on a continuous basis to ensure staff

and student effectiveness in addressing violence and substance

abuse; and

(3) be designed to:

(A) meet specific campus and community needs

identified by school districts and community-based organizations;

and

(B) address external, community-based factors

that affect school safety.

(g) A school district that receives a grant under the grant

program shall submit an annual report to the agency regarding:

(1) the use of grant money received under the grant

program; and

(2) the outcomes and effectiveness of the measures to

prevent violence and substance abuse implemented with the grant,

including:

(A) the number of violence and substance abuse

incidents intervened; and

(B) data on:

(i) reductions in violence and substance

abuse;

(ii) improvements in attendance and

academic performance; and

(iii) student, staff, and community

feedback on safety and substance abuse prevention.

(h) The agency shall annually conduct a statewide

evaluation of the effectiveness of violence interrupters programs

described by Subsection (c)(2) in addressing violence and substance

abuse and submit to the legislature a report on the evaluation. The

evaluation must include a cost-benefit analysis regarding the grant

program and any recommendations for improvements to or expansions

of the grant program.

(i) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to

administer the grant program.

(j) This section expires September 1, 2030.

SECTION 2. 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, 2025.