The bill amends the Revised Code to establish a statewide behavioral threat management operational process for public and chartered nonpublic schools in Ohio. It requires local, city, exempted village, and joint vocational school districts to form threat assessment teams for grades six through twelve, with team members mandated to complete an approved training program every three years. Existing safety teams can serve as threat assessment teams if they meet the new criteria, which emphasize a multidisciplinary approach and the inclusion of members familiar with the individuals being assessed. The bill also provides legal protections for school personnel involved in these assessments, shielding them from liability unless their actions are deemed willful or wanton misconduct.

In addition to the threat management provisions, the bill enhances the operational and financial accountability of community schools. It mandates documentation and fair market interest rates for loans made by school operators, requires governing authorities to adopt policies for student residency verification, and ensures that contracted attorneys or accountants are independent from the operator. The bill also allows governing authorities to pay sponsors for monitoring and oversight, capped at three percent of state operating expenses. Furthermore, it establishes a new section for the development of a threat management portal by the Department of Public Safety, in collaboration with the Department of Education and Workforce, to facilitate electronic reporting and documentation of behavioral assessments while protecting sensitive education records. Violations of the new provisions will incur fines, and several existing sections of the Revised Code will be repealed to streamline the legislative framework.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3313.669, 3314.03, 3326.11, 3328.24, 5502.99