House Bill 589 Summary

• Requires each school district board of trustees to develop a school safety plan for each school and meet annually with emergency first responders to update the plans and discuss emergency exercises and operations.

• Mandates school districts maintain a safe environment by cross-checking all contractors or other persons with irregular student contact against the statewide sex offender register.

• Allocates 50% of tobacco tax revenue collected under Idaho Code 63-2552A to the public school income fund for school safety improvements and substance abuse prevention programs.

• Designates $250,000 annually from tobacco tax revenue to the Idaho State Police to increase toxicology lab capacity for juvenile drug testing and $80,000 to the Commission on Hispanic Affairs for substance abuse prevention efforts in collaboration with the state department of education.

• Returns any excess funds above operational needs from the toxicology lab to the public school income fund for substance abuse prevention programs.