https://web.archive.org/web/20220525135107/https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86R/billtext/html/HB02654I.htm
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to building standards for instructional facilities and
campus safety procedures for public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 11.007 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.007. BUILDING STANDARDS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL
FACILITIES. (a) In this section, "instructional facility" has the
meaning assigned by Section 46.001.
(b) A school district that constructs a new instructional
facility must comply with the following building and design
standards:
(1) a lock on each entrance door to the building and
classroom door that enables the door to be locked and opened without
a key from inside the building or classroom;
(2) windows on classroom doors that are narrow and
placed on the side of the door away from the door handle;
(3) for a classroom or administrative office wall, the
use of material that is not glass or transparent;
(4) for each window in a classroom or administrative
office, a window covering that may be used to block the view;
(5) a fully functional public address system that can
be clearly heard from each classroom and hallway; and
(6) an adequate number of security cameras to provide
video coverage of each building entrance and hallway.
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 12.138 to read as follows:
Sec. 12.138. BUILDING STANDARDS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL
FACILITIES. (a) In this section, "instructional facility" has the
meaning assigned by Section 46.001.
(b) An open-enrollment charter school that constructs a new
instructional facility must comply with the following building and
design standards:
(1) a lock on each entrance door to the building and
classroom door that enables the door to be locked and opened without
a key from inside the building or classroom;
(2) windows on classroom doors that are narrow and
placed on the side of the door away from the door handle;
(3) for a classroom or administrative office wall, the
use of material that is not glass or transparent;
(4) for each window in a classroom or administrative
office, a window covering that may be used to block the view;
(5) a fully functional public address system that can
be clearly heard from each classroom and hallway; and
(6) an adequate number of security cameras to provide
video coverage of each building entrance and hallway.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 37, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 37.116 to read as follows:
Sec. 37.116. CAMPUS SAFETY PROCEDURES. Each school
district and open-enrollment charter school shall adopt and
implement campus safety procedures that provide for the safety of
students and employees, including:
(1) ensuring the live video feed from each security
camera on a district or school campus is readily available to:
(A) the school district police department, if
applicable; or
(B) the dispatch center of a local law
enforcement agency responsible for responding to an emergency at a
campus of the district or school;
(2) requiring school activities to be conducted in a
classroom or in an area with direct access to a secure room, except
for athletic activities that may be held outdoors;
(3) testing the public address system regularly; and
(4) storing and maintaining in the main office of each