Bill Text: TX HB1471 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a school security volunteer program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-26 - Left pending in committee [HB1471 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB1471-Introduced.html
86R893 GCB-D | ||
By: Darby | H.B. No. 1471 |
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relating to a school security volunteer program. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 37, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 37.0814 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 37.0814. SCHOOL SECURITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. (a) In | ||
this section: | ||
(1) "Qualified retired law enforcement officer" has | ||
the meaning assigned by 18 U.S.C. Section 926C(c). | ||
(2) "Veteran" has the meaning assigned by Section | ||
434.022, Government Code. | ||
(b) The board of trustees of a school district or the | ||
governing body of an open-enrollment charter school may approve a | ||
program under which the district or school provides written | ||
regulations or written authorization for eligible persons to serve | ||
as school security volunteers by: | ||
(1) providing security services for the district or | ||
school on school grounds, including any location in which an | ||
activity sponsored by the district or school is being conducted, | ||
and in school vehicles; and | ||
(2) carrying a handgun in providing the security | ||
services under Subdivision (1). | ||
(c) A person is eligible to serve as a school security | ||
volunteer for a program approved under this section only if: | ||
(1) the person is not: | ||
(A) an employee of the district or school; | ||
(B) a contractor providing services under a | ||
contract with the district or school; or | ||
(C) a person who otherwise receives compensation | ||
or remuneration from the district or school; and | ||
(2) the person is: | ||
(A) a qualified retired law enforcement officer; | ||
or | ||
(B) a veteran. | ||
(d) A school district that approves a program under this | ||
section must include the program in the district's multihazard | ||
emergency operations plan required under Section 37.108. An | ||
open-enrollment charter school that approves a program under this | ||
section must adopt and implement measures to ensure, in an | ||
emergency, coordination with the Department of State Health | ||
Services and local emergency management agencies, law enforcement | ||
agencies, health departments, and fire departments. | ||
(e) A school district or open-enrollment charter school | ||
that approves a program under this section must provide to each | ||
school security volunteer a course of instruction on the safety and | ||
security policies of the district or school. A district must | ||
include instruction about the district's multihazard emergency | ||
operations plan adopted under Section 37.108. | ||
(f) A school security volunteer is immune from civil | ||
liability to the same extent as a professional employee of a school | ||
district under Section 22.0511. This subsection does not limit the | ||
liability of a person for intentional misconduct or gross | ||
negligence. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter N, Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 1702.334 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1702.334. SCHOOL SECURITY VOLUNTEERS. This chapter | ||
does not apply to a person who serves as a school security volunteer | ||
for a school district or open-enrollment charter school under a | ||
program adopted under Section 37.0814, Education Code. | ||
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies | ||
beginning with the 2019-2020 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, 2019. |