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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools |
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providing panic alert devices in classrooms. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as Alyssa's Law. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 37, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 37.116 and 37.117 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 37.116. PANIC ALERT DEVICE. (a) Except as provided by |
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Section 37.117, each school district and open-enrollment charter |
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school shall provide each classroom in the district or school with a |
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panic alert device that allows for immediate contact with district |
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emergency services or emergency services agencies, law enforcement |
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agencies, health departments, and fire departments. |
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(b) A panic alert device provided by a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school under this section does not satisfy |
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the requirement under Section 37.108(a)(2) for the district or |
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school to ensure employees have classroom access to a telephone or |
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another electronic communication device. |
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(c) To comply with this section, a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school may: |
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(1) use funds provided to the district or school |
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through the school safety allotment under Section 42.168 or other |
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available funds; and |
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(2) use the district's or school's customary |
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procurement process. |
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Sec. 37.117. PANIC ALERT DEVICE OPT-OUT RESOLUTION. The |
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board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of an |
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open-enrollment charter school may elect not to provide panic alert |
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devices as required by Section 37.116 if the board or governing body |
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determines that the district or school does not have sufficient |
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money available to provide the devices. An election made under this |
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section must be authorized by a resolution adopted by majority vote |
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of the board or governing body in an open meeting. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |