SB 137 Summary

• Requires school districts, regional educational attendance areas, and the state department to provide annual youth suicide awareness and prevention training to teachers, administrators, counselors, and specialists serving grades 7-12 at no cost to employees.

• Training must be at least two hours per year, meet state professional continuing education standards, and be periodically reviewed for consistency with accepted youth suicide prevention principles; may be delivered via videoconferencing or individual study.

• Commissioner of Education must approve all training programs before implementation.

• Provides immunity from civil lawsuits against the state and school districts for deaths, injuries, or property damage resulting from acts or omissions in performing training duties, except in cases of intentional misconduct with complete disregard for safety.

• Training requirement does not impose a specific duty of care on any person; the act repeals on July 1, 2016.