H 657 - School Safety/Threat Assessment Teams Summary

• Clarifies that public school units must comply with school safety requirements in Article 8C of Chapter 115C, including annual safety drills with lockdown practice and schematic diagram provisions to law enforcement.

• Requires each public school unit to establish multidisciplinary threat assessment teams at all schools by March 1, 2022, composed of personnel with expertise in counseling, instruction, school administration, and law enforcement.

• Establishes threat assessment procedures to identify and evaluate students exhibiting threatening behavior, with risk levels categorized as low, moderate, high, or imminent risk, triggering appropriate interventions and notifications.

• Mandates that superintendent or designee immediately notify parents, law enforcement (for imminent/high risk), and local managed care organizations when students are referred for mental health services.

• Encourages nonpublic schools to voluntarily adopt school risk management plans, conduct safety drills, and provide schematic diagrams to law enforcement, with policies not considered public records.