This bill authorizes the New Hampshire Department of Education to establish a Safe and Resilient Schools Advisory Council, which will develop guidelines and best practices for enhancing school safety and resilience. The council will focus on identifying and addressing mental health crises and behavioral issues among students, including those who are neurodivergent. It will consist of various members, including representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services, school administrators, law enforcement, and mental health organizations. The council is tasked with reviewing existing resources and data, developing a safe and resilient schools framework, and submitting annual findings and recommendations for proposed legislation.

Additionally, the bill creates the New Hampshire Safe and Resilient Schools Fund, which will be a nonlapsing fund that can receive state, federal, and private grants. Expenditures from this fund will require approval from the Commissioner of Education and the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee. The bill does not anticipate any fiscal impact unless appropriations are made to the new fund. The legal language includes the insertion of new sections into RSA 193-F to establish the advisory council and the fund, while no deletions from current law are specified.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 6:12
SB658 text: 6:12