The bill, S.B. No. 475, establishes a Classroom Safety Review and Referral Program aimed at addressing violent criminal conduct by students in public primary and secondary schools in Texas. Under the new provisions, if a principal has reasonable grounds to believe a student has engaged in violent conduct, they are required to either refer the student to a classroom safety review committee or report the incident to local law enforcement. The bill mandates the formation of a classroom safety review committee composed of five elected teachers, which will review evidence and testimonies related to the incident. Based on their findings, the committee can refer the student to a juvenile diversion administrator or a classroom safety referral board for further action.

The referral board, which includes teachers, an assistant district attorney, a sheriff's office investigator, and a parent, will review the case and can either report the conduct to law enforcement or refer the student back to the juvenile diversion administrator. The bill also introduces penalties for the destruction of records related to these reviews, classifying such actions as a Class A misdemeanor, and outlines that educators providing testimony in these reviews will have their statements kept confidential. The provisions of this act will take effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

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