Bill > H0005

This bill establishes legal provisions for Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) teams in Idaho public schools, focusing on preventing targeted violence through a structured approach to identifying and addressing potential risks. The bill defines BTAM as a process to assess students' potential for harmful behavior and implement intervention strategies, with teams composed of school personnel and potentially including mental health professionals, juvenile probation officers, and community experts. These teams will follow model guidelines provided by the Idaho school safety and security program to identify and manage potential risks of targeted violence, which is defined as premeditated violence directed at specific individuals or locations. Critically, the bill provides legal immunity for BTAM teams and their individual members from liability for damages arising from failure to prevent targeted violence, provided they act in good faith, follow established guidelines, and do not violate laws related to individual rights, student privacy, and parental rights. The legislation aims to create a proactive, systematic approach to school safety that balances risk assessment with legal protections for those involved in threat management. The bill will go into effect on July 1, 2025, and represents a comprehensive effort to enhance school safety through structured threat assessment protocols.

Justice

Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee (H)

https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2025/legislation/H0005/