Senate Bill 2538 Summary

• Expands School Safety Grant Program to include mentoring/community-based policing partnerships with law enforcement and mental health screening for students selected by districts and approved by the Department of Mental Health.

• Requires all school districts to adopt and implement "Erin's Law Awareness" policies addressing child sexual abuse based on a model policy developed jointly by the Department of Mental Health, Department of Education, and Attorney General's Office.

• Directs the Department of Education to implement pilot programs in 12 school districts during 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years to provide students in Grades K-5 with stress and anxiety management skills, with the Department of Mental Health submitting annual reports to the Legislature by June 30.

• Transfers responsibility for providing threat assessment officers from the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security to local law enforcement agencies, requiring each school district and charter school to enter into a memorandum of understanding with local law enforcement; establishes a State Department of Education coordinating council with 8 members (2 from each congressional district) to oversee a behavioral threat assessment and management program.

• Authorizes school districts and charter schools to employ or accept chaplains as volunteers to provide student support, requiring criminal background checks and prohibiting individuals required to register as sex offenders; requires boards to vote by December 1, 2025 on whether to adopt chaplain policies for implementation in 2025-2026 school year.