Committee hears testimony on school safety package; witnesses raise mental-health, drill and reporting concerns

The House Committee on Education and Workforce heard testimony on five bills in a school-safety package and took a substitute that makes one measure subject to appropriation.

Sponsors described proposals requiring routine review of local school safety plans, expanded lockdown drills, creation of designated safety and mental-health staff at each intermediate school district (ISD), and mandated reporting of tips from the "Okay to Say" tip line to schools and local law enforcement. Committee members and witnesses pressed sponsors on funding, scope and potential harms from additional drills or broad training requirements.

Rep. Tom Schmaltz, sponsor of House Bill 4,222, said the bill would require schools to review safety plans every three years, establish a school crisis team and allow use of temporary locking devices. "We do owe it to every student, teacher and parent to do everything in our power to make schools a place of safety and learning," Rep. Schmaltz said, adding the bill "leaves the decision to the local schools — they'll know best who should be on their school crisis team."

Rep. Schmaltz told the committee a crisis team would typically include a principal, a vice principal, a school resource officer if present, and other appropriate school personnel. Committee members asked about flexibility when small schools lack vice principals; Schmaltz said the bill provides flexibility for local assignment.

Co-sponsors asked whether the bill's requirement that safety plans include use and installation guidelines for temporary locking systems is necessary; Schmaltz said the provision aims to ensure teams actually use…