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 each school district serving grades six through twelve to form a threat assessment team, which must include members who have completed an approved threat assessment training program every three years. The composition of these teams is mandated to be multidisciplinary, ensuring that at least one member has personal familiarity with the individual being assessed. The bill also provides civil liability immunity for school personnel acting in good faith during threat assessments, except in cases of willful or wanton misconduct. Additionally, it removes a previous timeline for establishing these teams, emphasizing the importance of timely and effective threat management.

In addition to the threat management provisions, the bill introduces measures to enhance the operational and financial accountability of community schools. It requires documentation and fair market interest rates for loans made by school operators to the schools, and mandates the governing authority to adopt policies for student residency verification. Furthermore, it stipulates that any contracted attorney or accountant must be independent from the operator to ensure unbiased oversight. The bill also establishes a new section, 5502.264, which includes the creation of a threat management portal for electronic reporting and documentation, and outlines penalties for violations related to the new threat management provisions. Existing sections of the Revised Code are repealed to accommodate these changes, reinforcing compliance with educational laws and regulations.

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