HF3493

Purpose

• This bill would increase and expand Safe Schools Revenue. It aims to provide more funding to school districts, charter schools, cooperative units, nonpublic schools, and American Indian Tribal contract schools to support safety, security, mental health, and related needs in and around schools. It also makes changes to how the Safe Schools Revenue is calculated, distributed, and used, and updates the statute that governs Safe Schools Revenue.

Key Provisions (What the bill changes and implements)

• Safe Schools Revenue for districts

  • A school district’s Safe Schools Revenue equals its Safe Schools Levy.
  • The Safe Schools Levy for a district equals 36 times the district’s adjusted pupil units for the school year.

• Safe Schools Revenue for cooperative arrangements

  • Intermediate school districts (as a member) can include Safe Schools activities in their levy authority, up to 15 times the adjusted pupil units of the member districts. This additional authority is in addition to other authorities, and revenue is transferred to the intermediate district.
  • Cooperative units that are not intermediate districts have Safe Schools Aid equal to 36 times their member districts’ pupil units, and the aid must be paid to the cooperative unit as directed by the commissioner.
  • Each district must designate only one cooperative unit as the recipient of its cooperative unit state aid.

• Safe Schools Aid for specific entities (starting fiscal year 2027)

  • Charter schools: Safe Schools Aid equals 36 times the charter school’s adjusted pupil units.
  • Nonpublic schools: Safe Schools Aid equals 36 times the school’s enrollment. Enrollment and other required information must be reported to the commissioner, who will establish a payment schedule.
  • American Indian Tribal contract schools: Safe Schools Aid equals 36 times the pupil units for the school year as calculated under the relevant statute.

• Allowed uses of Safe Schools Revenue

  • The revenue must be reserved and used for directly funding: 1) Salaries, benefits, and transportation costs of peace officers and sheriffs for liaison services in district schools. 2) Drug abuse prevention programs (as defined by law) in elementary schools. 3) Gang resistance education and training programs in district schools. 4) Security in district schools and on school property. 5) Other crime prevention, drug abuse prevention, student and staff safety measures, including suicide prevention tools and violence prevention measures (voluntary/opt-in). 6) Licensed mental health professionals (counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and addiction counselors) to support early responses to problems. 7) Facility security enhancements (e.g., laminated glass, public announcement/communications systems, emergency devices, and related modifications for violence prevention and security). 8) Improvements to school climate. 9) Colocation or collaboration with mental health professionals not employed or contracted by the district, or school-linked mental health services delivered by telehealth. 10) Cybersecurity measures (updating hardware/software, system upgrades, cybersecurity insurance costs).

• Implementation and contracting requirements

  • For expenditures in the safety and security areas, districts must first try to contract for services with the local city police department or county sheriff’s department in the district. If those entities do not provide the needed services, districts may contract with any other police or sheriff’s department located wholly or partly within the district boundaries.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands Safe Schools Revenue to additional recipients (charter schools, nonpublic schools, American Indian Tribal contract schools) and adjusts the calculation basis (36 times adjusted pupil units for many recipients; enrollment for nonpublic schools).
• Introduces a new distribution and designation mechanism for cooperative units (one recipient per district; specific treatment for intermediate districts vs. other cooperative units).
• Specifies a broader, explicit list of uses for Safe Schools Revenue focused on safety, security, mental health, climate, and cybersecurity.
• Adds a formal process requiring districts to attempt local law enforcement contracting first before alternative providers are engaged.

Relevant terms - Safe schools revenue - Safe schools levy - 36 times the adjusted pupil units - adjusted pupil units - enrollment - charter schools - nonpublic schools - American Indian Tribal contract schools - cooperative unit - intermediate school district - peace officers - sheriffs - police department - drug abuse prevention - gang resistance education (G.R.E.A.T. style programs) - security - crime prevention - suicide prevention tools - violence prevention measures - licensed school counselors - licensed school nurses - licensed school social workers - licensed school psychologists - licensed addiction counselors - school climate - mental health services - telehealth - cybersecurity - facility security enhancements - public announcement systems - emergency communications - 124D.83 - 123A.24 - 123B.41