SPONSOR:

Rep. Longhurst

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

HOUSE BILL NO. 4

AMEND House Bill No. 4 by deleting lines 20 and 21 in their entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

(1) “School-connected traumatic event” means the death of any student, educator, administrator, or other building employee of a public school or other traumatic event that affects a significant portion of the students of the school. ”.

FURTHER AMEND House Bill No. 4 by deleting lines 34 and 35 in their entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

(c) The Department of Education shall cover the cost of grief counseling offered to students for 45 days after a school-connected traumatic event. After 30 days, the Department and the school administration shall consult about the need for continuing grief counseling services, and the Department shall continue to cover the cost of grief counseling for an additional 45 days where a showing of significant need for and utilization of the services has been made. ”.

SYNOPSIS

This amendment expands the definition of “school-connected traumatic event” to include other traumatic events that affect a significant portion of the students in the school. It also extends the required state-funded grief counseling to 45 days with an opportunity for extension where there is a showing of significant need for and utilization of the services.