HB 96 -- School Protection Measures

Sponsor:  Wallace

This bill changes the laws regarding school employee liability,
safety practices, and reporting acts of violence.  In its main
provisions, the bill:

(1)  Expands employee immunity from correctly following
discipline policies to following all policies;

(2)  Adds the use of force to protect persons or property to the
provisions regarding spanking, which is not to be regarded as
abuse as long as the spanking or use of force does not give rise
to an allegation of sexual misconduct, and adds the requirement
that another employee witness a spanking.  The provisions are
also broadened to include all employees, rather than certificated
employees;

(3)  Specifies that a suspended student who is not allowed on
school property without specific permission is also prohibited
from attending school events occurring off school property;

(4)  Requires schools to add safety practice and training to the
facility safety accreditation standards by July 1, 2011, which
include annual training on the school's security and crisis
management plan;

(5)  Exempts unqualified employees who refuse to administer
medication or medical services from disciplinary action for the
refusal;

(6)  Exempts qualified employees from liability for administering
medication or medical services, including cardiopulmonary
resuscitation, in good faith and according to standard medical
practices;

(7)  Adds chronic health conditions to the list for which a
student may self-administer medication;

(8)  Adds employees trained and supervised by the school nurse to
the list of individuals who are authorized to use an epinephrine
auto-syringe on a student;

(9)  Allows school boards to commission certified law officers
under specified conditions;

(10)  Changes the requirement of the St. Louis City School
District to consider school uniforms and dress codes to allow all
districts to impose dress codes;

(11)  Expands the reporting of acts of violence to all teachers
at the student's school building and other employees who need to
know;

(12)  Revises, in the residency provisions, the meaning of
"homeless children and youths" to be consistent with the federal
definition and specifies which educational records are needed;

(13)  Changes the current requirement for forwarding educational
records from 48 hours to two business days and adds individual
education plans and health records to the requirement;

(14)  Requires a notice of reportable offenses to be attached to
an offending student's record and transcript;

(15)  Consolidates provisions relating to expulsion and
suspension;

(16)  Allows the criminal background check and fingerprint
collection required of student-contact educational employees to
be transferrable from one district to another for a period of one
year; and

(17)  Requires the Children's Services Commission to recommend
best practices on interagency communications regarding students
receiving state services by July 1, 2010.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:23 am