Bill > HB0290

This bill transforms Tennessee's school safety alert grant pilot program into a statewide two-year grant program that will run from fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. The program provides grants to local education agencies (LEAs), public charter schools, private schools, and church-related schools to purchase mobile panic alert systems, with specific rules for distributing grants across Tennessee's grand divisions to ensure geographic diversity. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of $8,000 per school per fiscal year. The bill establishes a new school safety alert grant fund, transfers any remaining pilot program funds to this new fund, and requires the Department of Education to submit reports to the general assembly detailing fund usage by July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2027. The grant program is set to expire on July 1, 2027, with the commissioner of education authorized to create administrative rules to implement the program. The bill aims to enhance school safety by supporting the acquisition of emergency alert systems across different types of educational institutions throughout Tennessee.

Education

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0290&ga=114