HB 399

This bill enacts the "Protecting Tennessee Schools and Events Act, "" which, by July 1, 2025, requires the department of education to establish a pilot program to award protecting Tennessee schools and events assistance grants to LEAs located in counties identified as distressed or at-risk by the economic and community development's performance metrics for the fiscal year 2025, using funds appropriated by the general appropriations act for such purpose. The primary purpose of the grants is to assist LEAs located in counties identified as distressed or at-risk in purchasing portable walk-through metal detec t ors. This bill provides that t he grants are dependent on the amount appropriated for the grants. It is the intent of the general assembly that funds are appropriated in an amount sufficient to provide each LEA that meets the requirements of this bill wi th three portable walk-through metal detectors. However, i t is the intent of this bill that the maximum amount of a grant awarded to an LEA for purchasing a portable walk-through metal detector must not exceed $16, 000 per portable walk-through metal detec tor or $48, 000 total per LEA. This bill authorizes a n LEA that meets the requirements of this bill to apply to the department for a grant. The department must award these grants on a first-come, first-served basis. PORTABLE WALK-THROUGH METAL DETECTORS This bill requires a portable walk-through metal detector obtained by a grant to meet certain criteria as described in the bill, including the capacity to process at least 25 individuals per minute or 1, 500 individuals per hour in a single lane, under o ptimal flow conditions, with one operator, excluding additional time required for individual checks when an alarm is triggered . PROCUREMENT This bill requires t he local board of education for an LEA that is awarded a grant to procure portable walk-throu gh metal detectors in compliance with the minimum specification requirements described in this bill . The procurement process must be managed by the LEA's director of schools or a designated administrative office in compliance with this state's procurement laws. This bill requires an LEA to use a competitive procurement process to satisfy the requirements of this bill. In selecting a vendor, an LEA must comply with the requirements of the Tennessee Minority-Owned, Woman-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran-Ow ned, Business Owned by Persons with Disabilities, and Small Business Procurement and Contracting Act. In awarding a contract for the procurement of portable walk-through metal detectors, this bill requires an LEA to prioritize vendors that demonstrate th e ability to provide additional features or services that enhance school safety and operational efficiency . However, an LEA m ay give additional consideration to vendors offering enhanced service options, including expedited delivery, on-site training, or the ability to integrate portable walk-through metal detectors with existing security infrastructure. SPECIAL CONTRACT TERMS – IMPLEMENTATION This bill requires a contract made pursuant to this bill to require that the vendor (i) p rovide clear operational guidelines to ensure effective use, proper handling of false alarms, and protection of student privacy; and ( ii ) c onduct on-site training for school personnel and school resource officers at a designated location within each LEA. This training must include best practices tailored to each LEA, covering effective operation, false alarm protocols, privacy procedures, and strategic deployment. VENDOR-LED DATA COLLECTION AND ANNUAL REPORTING This bill requires a n LEA to authorize a vendor procuri ng a portable walk-through metal detector to conduct in-person observations and collect data on the implementation and overall effectiveness of the portable walk-through metal detectors procured pursuant to this bill . The vendor must coordinate with the L EA to schedule a visit on days in which screenings are planned, ensuring comprehensive and relevant data collection while minimizing disruption to regular operations. This bill requires d ata collected pursuant to this bill to focus exclusively on aggrega te trends and outcomes only and comply with the federal and state privacy laws . The data collected may include (i) t otal number of portable walk-through metal detectors' activations per school; ( ii ) c ategorization of detected items, such as weapons or con traband; ( iii ) a summary of interventions made by school personnel or law enforcement due to alerts from portable walk-through metal detectors procured pursuant to this bill ; and ( iv ) q ualitative feedback from school personnel on perceived changes in safet y due to the portable walk-through metal detectors. This bill requires t he vendor to submit an annual report to the LEA summarizing key findings from the data collected. The LEA must review the vendor's report and submit the vendor's report to the depar tment, along with any additional feedback from the LEA. The department must submit a consolidated report to legislative committees having jurisdiction over school safety. The consolidated report must include (i) a clear overview of the collected data and key trends; ( ii ) a n assessment of the effectiveness in enhancing school safety through the use of portable walk-through metal detectors procured pursuant to this bill ; ( iii ) i dentification of any challenges or areas for improvement related to the use of p ortable walk-through metal detectors procured pursuant to this bill ; and ( iv ) l egislative recommendations for this bill ."