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Senate adopts three‑year pilot to fund school substance‑abuse and violence‑prevention grants
Summary
Senate Finance amendment establishes a three‑year pilot starting in 2026–27 to award grants (no more than $13,300 per LEA) to three local education agencies to expand substance‑abuse and violence‑prevention programming for students in grades 3–12; the pilot ends 07/01/2029 and requires annual reporting.
Chairman Watson explained a Finance Committee amendment that converts the bill into a three‑year pilot program beginning in the 2026–27 school year. Under the amendment each grant recipient LEA must already have an existing program, the award to any LEA may not exceed $13,300, and the pilot will terminate on July 1, 2029.
"The amendment further requires each grant recipient LEA to implement the program for students in grades 3 through 12 and submit an annual report by June 30 beginning 06/30/2027 on program effectiveness," Chairman Watson said on the floor. He said reports would go to the Department of Education, specified state departments, and designated legislative committee chairs.
Senator Hensley, the bill sponsor, described the measure as an effort to start drug‑prevention education as early as third grade and to provide age‑appropriate, developmentally aligned instruction through grade 12.
The Finance amendment was adopted without recorded opposition and the Senate passed the bill as amended on third and final consideration. The amendment sets program parameters, reporting deadlines, a per‑LEA cap and a statutory termination date for the pilot.
