Overall Vote Recommendation

Yes

Principle Criteria

Free Enterprise

Property Rights

Personal Responsibility

Limited Government

Individual Liberty

Digest

SB 2392 amends Section 37.015 of the Texas Education Code to enhance requirements for reporting certain serious criminal conduct occurring on public or private primary or secondary school campuses, as well as at school-sponsored or related activities. Under the bill, school principals or their designated representatives are mandated to notify law enforcement and the school's chief administrative officer immediately upon having reasonable grounds to believe that specific offenses—such as violent crimes, drug offenses, weapons violations, human trafficking, sexual offenses, or other serious felonies—have taken place, regardless of whether an internal investigation has been completed.

The legislation further requires that if the principal or their designee fails to report the incident, the chief administrative officer must notify law enforcement immediately upon learning of the failure. A new civil penalty provision imposes a fine of $1,000 for each day a principal or chief administrative officer delays required reporting beyond 48 hours after becoming aware of the incident. The bill empowers the Texas Attorney General to sue for recovery of these penalties. Additionally, SB 2392 repeals existing language in Section 37.015(c) that previously allowed school officials to delay reports until after internal confirmation of criminal conduct, thus shifting the emphasis toward immediate communication with law enforcement authorities.

Overall, the measure is intended to promote a faster, more transparent response to potential criminal behavior in school settings, increase safety for students and staff, and reinforce accountability among school administrators. By focusing on prompt reporting and adding enforceable penalties for noncompliance, SB 2392 prioritizes the safety of Texas schools without significantly expanding government oversight or bureaucracy.

The originally filed version of SB 2392 required school principals (or their designees) to report certain serious criminal activities to local law enforcement if they had reasonable grounds to believe such conduct occurred on school property or during school-sponsored activities. However, it permitted principals to exercise discretion — no notification was required if the principal "reasonably believed" the activity did not actually constitute a criminal offense. For particular serious offenses like human trafficking or felony injury to a child, the bill required notification within 72 hours.

The Committee Substitute significantly tightens these requirements. It eliminates the discretion that allowed principals to decide whether to report, instead mandating that notification must occur immediately upon awareness of the conduct, regardless of subjective belief. It also reduces the reporting window to a strict 48-hour deadline and adds a new requirement for chief administrative officers to step in and report if a principal fails to do so. Furthermore, the substitute bill introduces a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day a report is delayed beyond the 48-hour window, enforceable by the Texas Attorney General. It also repeals the old subsection that had allowed for the discretion not to notify law enforcement.

In short, the Committee Substitute transforms the bill from a discretionary, flexible framework into a strict, mandatory reporting system with serious financial penalties for noncompliance. These changes aim to strengthen immediate law enforcement involvement in school safety matters, reduce delays, and close accountability gaps within school administrations.

Author

Phil King

Sponsor

Jeff Leach

Contact the Author

Sen. Phil King

Capitol Phone:

(512) 463-0110

Capitol Office:

CAP GE.5

E-Mail:

[email protected]

Visit Official Website

Fiscal Notes

According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), SB 2392 is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact on the state budget. This means that the legislation, including its new requirements for immediate reporting and the imposition of civil penalties for noncompliance, would not meaningfully affect state expenditures or revenues in a way that requires new appropriations or major adjustments.

At the local level, however, schools may need to amend or adopt internal policies and procedures to comply with the bill’s stricter notification timelines and accountability requirements. While the fiscal note does not project major costs, the administrative burden could increase slightly for school districts and private schools, particularly in developing and maintaining compliant reporting systems. These efforts would likely involve staff training and potential updates to school safety and incident reporting protocols, but these costs are expected to be manageable within existing resources.

Overall, SB 2392 emphasizes administrative changes rather than creating substantial financial obligations for either state agencies or local governments.

Vote Recommendation Notes

SB 2392 strengthens the existing requirement that principals of public and private schools report certain serious criminal activities occurring on campus or at school-sponsored events. The bill eliminates prior discretionary reporting based on subjective judgment, shortens the mandatory reporting window to 48 hours to match timelines for reporting child abuse under the Family Code, and adds a requirement for chief administrative officers to step in if a principal fails to report. It also introduces a $1,000-per-day civil penalty for failure to report, enforceable by the Attorney General.

Importantly, the bill does not grow the size or general scope of government. It leverages current enforcement systems without creating new agencies or major regulatory structures. It does not increase the burden on taxpayers, as the Legislative Budget Board’s fiscal note finds no significant state cost, and minor local administrative impacts are expected to be absorbed within existing school district operations. While it does slightly increase regulatory obligations on school personnel (principals and administrators must now comply with stricter, time-sensitive reporting rules under threat of penalty), the burden is targeted, reasonable, and limited to enhancing school safety without imposing new requirements on private businesses or the general public.

From a liberty principles standpoint, SB 2392 promotes individual liberty by ensuring safer learning environments, reinforces personal responsibility by holding school officials accountable, respects free enterprise by not interfering with businesses, supports private property rights by protecting school premises from unchecked criminal conduct, and aligns with limited government by narrowly focusing its enforcement mechanism without bureaucratic expansion.

Given its careful targeting, reinforcement of existing duties, and alignment with principles of accountability and student protection, Texas Policy Research recommends that state lawmakers vote YES on SB 2392.

The bill protects students, teachers, and staff from serious crimes like violence, drug offenses, and human trafficking at school. By requiring quick police notification, it defends the right of individuals to be safe from harm in their daily lives. It ensures that schools cannot quietly handle major crimes without proper law enforcement involvement.
School principals and administrators are held directly responsible for reporting criminal behavior. They cannot ignore serious misconduct or delay action without consequences. This increases accountability, a core element of a responsible, free society.
The bill does not regulate businesses or economic activity. By improving safety and maintaining public trust in educational institutions, it indirectly supports healthy communities where businesses can thrive without fear that local schools are unsafe.
Schools, both public and private, are private property or public spaces meant to be safe environments. Preventing criminal activity protects the integrity and rightful use of those properties. It upholds the basic expectation that property owners — including school communities — can control and defend their spaces.
While the bill increases reporting obligations on school officials, it does not create new agencies or large government programs. It enforces public safety using existing structures (like law enforcement and the Attorney General) and targets only those individuals already entrusted with the safety of students. The financial penalties are specific and narrowly applied, not a broad regulatory expansion.

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