NH SB658

Authorizes the New Hampshire Department of Education to establish a Safe and Resilient Schools Advisory Council to develop guidelines for best practices in school safety, mental health crisis intervention, and support for neurodivergent students.

Council membership includes the Education Commissioner, DHHS representative, school superintendent, school resource officer, representatives from NAMI-NH and Disability Rights Center, and two parents with mental health or neurodivergence experience.

Council responsibilities include reviewing existing school safety programs, developing training frameworks on threat identification, trauma-responsive discipline, de-escalation techniques, and establishing data collection guidelines for program outcomes.

Creates the New Hampshire Safe and Resilient Schools Fund as a nonlapsing account to receive federal grants, state grants, and private donations, with expenditures requiring approval from the Education Commissioner and Joint Fiscal Committee.

Council must submit annual findings and legislative recommendations to House and Senate education committees beginning November 1, 2026, with the first meeting required within 45 days of the act's passage.