Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 175 Second Substitute (2015GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Thatcher, D.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/31/2015

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• requires the University Neuropsychiatric Institute, within the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, to establish a statewide School Safety and Crisis Line;
• removes the sunset provision for the School Safety Tip Line Commission and renames it the School Safety and Crisis Line Commission (commission);
• amends the membership of the commission;
• requires the commission to fulfill certain duties;
• requires the State Board of Education to revise certain policies and curricula;
• requires a local school board or charter school governing board to revise certain policies; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

SCHOOL SAFETY AND CRISIS LINE
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Daniel W. Thatcher
House Sponsor: 
 Steve Eliason
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill establishes a School Safety and Crisis Line.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ requires the University Neuropsychiatric Institute, within the University of Utah
Hospitals and Clinics, to establish a statewide School Safety and Crisis Line;
▸ removes the sunset provision for the School Safety Tip Line Commission and
renames it the School Safety and Crisis Line Commission (commission);
▸ amends the membership of the commission;
▸ requires the commission to fulfill certain duties;
▸ requires the State Board of Education to revise certain policies and curricula;
▸ requires a local school board or charter school governing board to revise certain
policies; and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2016:
▸ to the University of Utah - University Neuropsychiatric Institute, as an ongoing
appropriation:
• from the General Fund, $150,000; and
▸ to the University of Utah - University Neuropsychiatric Institute, as a one-time
appropriation:
• from the General Fund, $150,000.
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53A-11-901
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 161
53A-11-902
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 207
53A-11-1501
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 412
53A-11-1502
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 412
53A-11-1504
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 412
53A-11-1505
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 412
53A-15-1302
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 349
63I-1-253
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapters 189, 226, and 412
ENACTS:
53A-11-1506
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
REPEALS AND REENACTS:
53A-11-1503
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 412
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53A-11-901
 is amended to read:
53A-11-901.
Public school discipline policies -- Basis of the policies --
Enforcement.
(1) The Legislature recognizes that every student in the public schools should have the
opportunity to learn in an environment which is safe, conducive to the learning process, and
free from unnecessary disruption.
(2) (a) To foster such an environment, each local school board or governing board of a
charter school, with input from school employees, parents and guardians of students, students,
and the community at large, shall adopt conduct and discipline policies for the public schools.
(b) Each district or charter school shall base its policies on the principle that every
student is expected:
(i) to follow accepted rules of conduct; and
(ii) to show respect for other people and to obey persons in authority at the school.
(c) (i) [
The State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop
] 
On or before
September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall revise the
 conduct and discipline policy
models for elementary and secondary public schools 
to include procedures for responding to
reports received through the School Safety and Crisis Line under Subsection 
53A-11-1503
(3)
.
(ii) Each district or charter school shall use the models, where appropriate, in
developing its conduct and discipline policies under this chapter.
(d) The policies shall emphasize that certain behavior, most particularly behavior
which disrupts, is unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action.
(3) The local superintendent and designated employees of the district or charter school
shall enforce the policies so that students demonstrating unacceptable behavior and their
parents or guardians understand that such behavior will not be tolerated and will be dealt with
in accordance with the district's conduct and discipline policies.
Section 2. Section 
53A-11-902
 is amended to read:
53A-11-902.
Conduct and discipline policies and procedures.
The conduct and discipline policies required under Section 
53A-11-901
 shall include:
(1) provisions governing student conduct, safety, and welfare;
(2) standards and procedures for dealing with students who cause disruption in the
classroom, on school grounds, on school vehicles, or in connection with school-related
activities or events;
(3) procedures for the development of remedial discipline plans for students who cause
a disruption at any of the places referred to in Subsection (2);
(4) procedures for the use of reasonable and necessary physical restraint or force in
dealing with disruptive students, consistent with Section 
53A-11-802
;
(5) standards and procedures for dealing with student conduct in locations other than
those referred to in Subsection (2), if the conduct threatens harm or does harm to:
(a) the school;
(b) school property;
(c) a person associated with the school; or
(d) property associated with a person described in Subsection (5)(c);
(6) procedures for the imposition of disciplinary sanctions, including suspension and
expulsion;
(7) specific provisions, consistent with Section 
53A-15-603
, for preventing and
responding to gang-related activities in the school, on school grounds, on school vehicles, or in
connection with school-related activities or events; [
and
]
(8) standards and procedures for dealing with habitual disruptive student behavior in
accordance with the provisions of this part[
.
]
; and
(9) procedures for responding to reports received through the School Safety and Crisis
Line under Subsection 
53A-11-1503
(3)
.
Section 3. Section 
53A-11-1501
 is amended to read:
Part 15. School Safety and Crisis Line
53A-11-1501.
Title.
This part is known as "School Safety [
Tip
] 
and Crisis
 Line."
Section 4. Section 
53A-11-1502
 is amended to read:
53A-11-1502.
Definitions.
As used in this part[
, "commission"
]
:
(1) "Commission"
 means the School Safety [
Tip
] 
and Crisis
 Line Commission
established in Section 
53A-11-1504
.
(2) "University Neuropsychiatric Institute" means the mental health and substance
abuse treatment institute within the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics.
Section 5. Section 
53A-11-1503
 is repealed and reenacted to read:
 53A-11-1503.
School Safety and Crisis Line established.
The University Neuropsychiatric Institute shall:
(1) establish a School Safety and Crisis Line to provide:
(a) a means for an individual to anonymously report:
(i) unsafe, violent, or criminal activities, or the threat of such activities at or near a
public school; and
(ii) incidents of bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, or hazing; and
(b) crisis intervention, including suicide prevention, to individuals experiencing
emotional distress or psychiatric crisis;
(2) provide the services described in Subsection (1) 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
and
(3) when necessary, promptly forward a report received under Subsection (1)(a) to
appropriate:
(a) school officials; and
(b) law enforcement officials.
Section 6. Section 
53A-11-1504
 is amended to read:
53A-11-1504.
 School Safety and Crisis Line Commission established -- Members.
(1) There is created the School Safety [
Tip
] 
and Crisis
 Line Commission, within the
Office of the Attorney General, composed of the following members:
(a) one member who represents the Office of the Attorney General, appointed by the
attorney general;
(b) [
two members
] 
one member
 who [
represent
] 
represents
 the Utah Public Education
System, appointed by the State Board of Education;
(c) one member who represents the Utah System of Higher Education, appointed by the
State Board of Regents;
[
(c)
] 
(d)
 one member who represents the Utah Department of Health, appointed by the
executive director of the Department of Health;
[
(d) two members
] 
(e) one member
 of the House of Representatives, appointed by the
speaker of the House of Representatives; [
and
]
[
(e) two members
] 
(f) one member
 of the Senate, appointed by the president of the
Senate[
.
]
;
(g) one member who represents the University Neuropsychiatric Institute, appointed by
the chair of the commission;
(h) one member who represents law enforcement and has extensive experience in
emergency response, appointed by the chair of the commission; and
(i) one member of the public, appointed by the chair of the commission.
(2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), members of the commission shall be
appointed to four-year terms.
(b) The length of the terms of the members shall be staggered so that approximately
half of the committee is appointed every two years.
(c) When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the commission, the replacement
shall be appointed for the unexpired term.
[
(2)
] 
(3)
 (a) The attorney general's designee shall serve as chair of the commission.
(b) The chair shall set the agenda for commission meetings.
[
(3)
] 
(4)
 Attendance of a simple majority of the members constitutes a quorum for the
transaction of official commission business.
[
(4)
] 
(5)
 Formal action by the commission requires a majority vote of a quorum.
[
(5)
] 
(6)
 (a) Except as provided in Subsection [
(5)
] 
(6)
(b), a member may not receive
compensation, benefits, per diem, or travel expenses for the member's service.
(b) Compensation and expenses of a member who is a legislator are governed by
Section 
36-2-2
 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Legislative Compensation and Expenses.
[
(6)
] 
(7)
 The Office of the Attorney General shall provide staff support to the
commission.
Section 7. Section 
53A-11-1505
 is amended to read:
53A-11-1505.
School Safety and Crisis Line Commission duties.
(1) [
(a)
] The commission shall 
coordinate
:
[
(i) designate a School Safety Tip Line provider network after consideration of the
ability of the proposed provider network's ability to:
]
[
(A) provide the services described in Section 
53A-11-1503
hours a day, seven days
a week; and
]
[
(B) employ, as operators, social workers licensed by the Division of Occupational and
Professional Licensing under Section 
58-60-204
;
]
[
(ii) estimate the cost of operating a School Safety Tip Line including the extent to
which operations will be funded through private donations and grants; and
]
[
(iii) designate a phone number for the School Safety Tip Line.
]
(a) statewide efforts related to the School Safety and Crisis Line; and
(b) with the State Board of Education and the State Board of Regents to promote
awareness of the services available through the School Safety and Crisis Line.
[
(b)
] 
(2)
 The commission may conduct other business related to [
establishing a
] 
the
School Safety [
Tip
] 
and Crisis
 Line.
[
(2) The commission shall report to the Education Interim Committee and the
Executive Appropriations Committee before November 30, 2014, regarding:
]
[
(a) how the commission fulfilled its duties during the year; and
]
[
(b) recommendations for future legislation related to a School Safety Tip Line.
]
Section 8. Section 
53A-11-1506
 is enacted to read:
 53A-11-1506.
State Board of Education and local boards of education to update
policies and promote awareness.
(1) The State Board of Education shall:
(a) revise the conduct and discipline policy models, described in Section 
53A-11-901
,
to include procedures for responding to reports received under Subsection 
53A-11-1503
(3);
and
(b) revise the curriculum developed by the State Board of Education for the parent
seminar, described in Section 
53A-15-1302
, to include information about the School Safety
and Crisis Line.
(2) A local school board or charter school governing board shall:
(a) revise the conduct and discipline policies, described in Section 
53A-11-902
, to
include procedures for responding to reports received under Subsection 
53A-11-1503
(3); and
(b) inform students, parents, and school personnel about the School Safety and Crisis
Line.
Section 9. Section 
53A-15-1302
 is amended to read:
53A-15-1302.
Parent education -- Mental health -- Bullying -- Safety.
(1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (5), a school district shall offer a seminar for
parents of students in the school district that:
(i) is offered at no cost to parents;
(ii) begins at or after 6 p.m.;
(iii) is held in at least one school located in the school district; and
(iv) covers the topics described in Subsection (2).
(b) A school district shall annually offer one parent seminar for each 11,000 students
enrolled in the school district.
(c) A school district may:
(i) develop its own curriculum for the seminar described in Subsection (1)(a); or
(ii) use the curriculum developed by the State Board of Education under Subsection
(2).
(d) A school district shall notify each charter school located in the attendance
boundaries of the school district of the date and time of a parent seminar, so the charter school
may inform parents of the seminar.
(2) The State Board of Education shall:
(a) develop a curriculum for the parent seminar described in Subsection (1) that
includes information on:
(i) substance abuse, including illegal drugs and prescription drugs and prevention;
(ii) bullying;
(iii) mental health, depression, suicide awareness, and suicide prevention, including
education on limiting access to fatal means; [
and
]
(iv) Internet safety, including pornography addiction; and
(v) the School Safety and Crisis Line established in Section 
53A-11-1503
; and
(b) provide the curriculum, including resources and training, to school districts upon
request.
[
(3) The State Board of Education shall report to the Legislature's Education Interim
Committee, by the November 2013 meeting, on the progress of implementation of the parent
seminar, including if a local school board has opted out of providing the parent seminar, as
described in Subsection (5), and the reasons why a local school board opted out.
]
[
(4) The State Board of Education shall report to the Legislature's Education Interim
Committee by the November 2014 meeting on:
]
[
(a) the progress of implementation of the parent seminar;
]
[
(b) the estimated attendance reported by each school district;
]
[
(c) a recommendation of whether to continue the parent seminar program; and
]
[
(d) if a local school board has opted out of providing the parent seminar, as described
in Subsection (5), and the reasons why a local school board opted out.
]
[
(5)
] 
(3)
 (a) A school district is not required to offer the parent seminar if the local
school board determines that the topics described in Subsection (2) are not of significant
interest or value to families in the school district.
(b) If a local school board chooses not to offer the parent seminar, the local school
board shall notify the State Board of Education and provide the reasons why the local school
board chose not to offer the parent seminar.
Section 10. Section 
63I-1-253
 is amended to read:
63I-1-253.
Repeal dates, Titles 53, 53A, and 53B.
The following provisions are repealed on the following dates:
(1) Section 
53-3-232
, Conditional license, is repealed July 1, 2015.
(2) Subsection 
53-10-202
(18) is repealed July 1, 2018.
(3) Section 
53-10-202.1
 is repealed July 1, 2018.
(4) Title 53A, Chapter 1a, Part 6, Public Education Job Enhancement Program is
repealed July 1, 2020.
[
(5) Title 53A, Chapter 11, Part 15, School Safety Tip Line, is repealed July 1, 2015.
]
[
(6)
] 
(5)
 The State Instructional Materials Commission, created in Section 
53A-14-101
,
is repealed July 1, 2016.
[
(7)
] 
(6)
 Subsections 
53A-16-113
(3) and (4) are repealed December 31, 2016.
[
(8)
] 
(7)
 Section 
53A-16-114
 is repealed December 31, 2016.
[
(9)
] 
(8)
 Section 
53A-17a-163
, Performance-based Compensation Pilot Program is
repealed July 1, 2016.
[
(10)
] 
(9)
 Section 
53B-24-402
, Rural residency training program, is repealed July 1,
2015.
[
(11)
] 
(10)
 Subsection 
53C-3-203
(4)(b)(vii), which provides for the distribution of
money from the Land Exchange Distribution Account to the Geological Survey for test wells,
other hydrologic studies, and air quality monitoring in the West Desert, is repealed July 1,
2020.
Section 11. 
Appropriation.
Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, the following sums of money
are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated. These sums of money are in
addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2016.
To University of Utah - University Neuropsychiatric Institute
From General Fund
$150,000
From General Fund, One-time
$150,000
Schedule of Programs:
University Neuropsychiatric Institute $300,000
The Legislature intends that the appropriation provided in this section is to be used by
the University Neuropsychiatric Institute to provide the services described in Title 53A,
Chapter 11, Part 15, School Safety and Crisis Line.
Section 12. 
Effective date.
(1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), this bill takes effect on May 12, 2015.
(2) Uncodified Section 11, Appropriation, takes effect on July 1, 2015.
Legislative Review Note
 as of 2-9-15 12:49 PM
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel