Video surveillance cameras; require in certain areas of school facilities for protection of exceptional children.

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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Crawford

HOUSE BILL NO. 1248

AN ACT TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INSTALL VIDEO 1
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS EQUIPPED WITH AUDIO RECEPTION TECHNOLOGY IN 2
CERTAIN AREAS OF SCHOOLS FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF 3
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS; TO LIMIT VIEWING ACCESS OF RECORDED 4
SURVEILLANCE TO CERTAIN DISTRICT AND INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL-FACILITY 5
LICENSED PERSONNEL; TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROTECT THE 6
PRIVACY AND IDENTITY OF STUDENTS CAPTURED IN THE SURVEILLANCE WHO 7
ARE NOT THE SUBJECT OF INCIDENTS GIVING RISE TO AN INVESTIGATION 8
OR LITIGATION; TO AUTHORIZE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CONTRACT WITH 9
ANY COMPANY OR INDIVIDUAL, INDEPENDENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO 10
PROVIDE SURVEILLANCE MONITORING; TO REQUIRE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, 11
ACTING THROUGH THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD, TO EMPLOY CERTAIN 12
PROCEDURES PRIOR TO AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR MONITORING SERVICES; 13
TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO EMPLOY SECURITY 14
PERSONNEL OR REQUIRE THE IMMEDIATE PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT 15
OFFICERS ON SCHOOL PREMISES EQUIPPED WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS; TO 16
BRING FORWARD SECTION 37-3-83, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH 17
ESTABLISHES A SCHOOL SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM, FOR PURPOSES OF 18
POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 19
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 20
SECTION 1. (1) Each school district shall install video 21
surveillance cameras equipped with audio reception technology into 22
each self-contained classroom of school facilities which provides 23
daily instruction to an exceptional child, as defined in Section 24
37-23-3, as well as in the gymnasium, interior corridors, 25
cafeteria, designated recreational activity areas and on the 26
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exterior parameters of the school facility. Each point of access 27
that allows for the entry and exit of individuals also must be 28
under video surveillance. 29
(2) The surveillance footage and audio may be viewed only by 30
the district superintendent and by the principal and licensed 31
personnel in the school building where the equipment is installed. 32
In the event of an incident involving an exceptional child which 33
warrants the disclosure of the video surveillance for 34
investigation or litigation purposes, the district shall undertake 35
every measure to protect the privacy and identity of any student 36
not involved in the incident giving rise to the investigation or 37
litigation for which the surveillance is being sought. 38
(3) The school district may contract with any company or 39
individual, independent of the school district, to provide the 40
necessary surveillance monitoring service. However, the school 41
district, acting through the school board, may not select any one 42
(1) company or individual without first advertising a request for 43
proposals in a newspaper published in the county in which the 44
school district is located or, if no newspaper is published in 45
that county, then in a newspaper having a general circulation in 46
that county, for two (2) successive weeks, the first being at 47
least ten (10) days before the public contract. The contract must 48
then be awarded to the best bid received and accepted by the 49
board. 50
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(4) With the installation of surveillance cameras on school 51
premises as required under subsection (1) of this section, it is 52
not necessary for the school district to employ security personnel 53
or require the immediate presence of law enforcement officers on a 54
daily basis. 55
SECTION 2. Section 37-3-83, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 56
brought forward as follows: 57
37-3-83. (1) There is established within the State 58
Department of Education, using only existing staff and resources, 59
a School Safety Grant Program, available to all eligible public 60
school districts, to assist in financing programs to provide 61
school safety. However, no monies from the Temporary Assistance 62
for Needy Families grant may be used for the School Safety Grant 63
Program. 64
(2) The school board of each school district, with the 65
assistance of the State Department of Education School Safety 66
Center, shall adopt a comprehensive local school district school 67
safety plan and shall update the plan on an annual basis. 68
(3) Subject to the extent of appropriations available, the 69
School Safety Grant Program shall offer any of the following 70
specific preventive services, and other additional services 71
appropriate to the most current school district school safety 72
plan: 73
(a) Metal detectors; 74
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(b) Video surveillance cameras, communications 75
equipment and monitoring equipment for classrooms, school 76
buildings, school grounds and school buses; 77
(c) Crisis management/action teams responding to school 78
violence; 79
(d) Violence prevention training, conflict resolution 80
training, behavioral stress training and other appropriate 81
training designated by the State Department of Education for 82
faculty and staff; and 83
(e) School safety personnel. 84
(4) Each local school district of this state may annually 85
apply for school safety grant funds subject to appropriations by 86
the Legislature. School safety grants shall include a base grant 87
amount plus an additional amount per student in net enrollment in 88
the school or school district. The base grant amount and amount 89
per student shall be determined by the State Board of Education, 90
subject to specific appropriation therefor by the Legislature. In 91
order to be eligible for such program, each local school board 92
desiring to participate shall apply to the State Department of 93
Education by May 31 before the beginning of the applicable fiscal 94
year on forms provided by the department, and shall be required to 95
establish a local School Safety Task Force to involve members of 96
the community in the school safety effort. The State Department 97
of Education shall determine by July 1 of each succeeding year 98
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which local school districts have submitted approved applications 99
for school safety grants. 100
(5) As part of the School Safety Grant Program, the State 101
Department of Education may conduct a pilot program to research 102
the feasibility of using video camera equipment in the classroom 103
to address the following: 104
(a) Determine if video cameras in the classroom reduce 105
student disciplinary problems; 106
(b) Enable teachers to present clear and convincing 107
evidence of a student's disruptive behavior to the student, the 108
principal, the superintendent and the student's parents; and 109
(c) Enable teachers to review teaching performance and 110
receive diagnostic feedback for developmental purposes. 111
(6) Any local school district may use 112
audio/visual-monitoring equipment in classrooms, hallways, 113
buildings, grounds and buses for the purpose of monitoring school 114
disciplinary problems. 115
(7) As a component of the comprehensive local school 116
district school safety plan required under subsection (2) of this 117
section, the school board of a school district may adopt and 118
implement a policy addressing sexual abuse of children, to be 119
known as "Erin's Law Awareness." Any policy adopted under this 120
subsection may include or address, but need not be limited to, the 121
following: 122
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(a) Methods for increasing teacher, student and 123
parental awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse of children, 124
including knowledge of likely warning signs indicating that a 125
child may be a victim of sexual abuse; 126
(b) Educational information for parents or guardians, 127
which may be included in the school handbook, on the warning signs 128
of a child being abused, along with any needed assistance, 129
referral or resource information; 130
(c) Training for school personnel on child sexual 131
abuse; 132
(d) Age-appropriate curriculum for students in 133
prekindergarten through fifth grade; 134
(e) Actions that a child who is a victim of sexual 135
abuse should take to obtain assistance and intervention; 136
(f) Counseling and resources available for students 137
affected by sexual abuse; and 138
(g) Emotional and educational support for a child who 139
has been abused to enable the child to be successful in school. 140
(8) As part of the school safety grant program, the State 141
Department of Education shall establish three (3) pilot programs 142
in six (6) school districts utilizing an evidence-based curriculum 143
to provide students in Grades K-5 with skills to manage stress and 144
anxiety in order for them to be better equipped to handle 145
challenges in a healthy way and build resiliency. The Mississippi 146
Department of Mental Health shall be responsible for the selection 147
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ST: Video surveillance cameras; require in
certain areas of school facilities for
protection of exceptional children.
of the content of the evidence-based curriculum. The results of 148
this pilot program shall be measured and reported, and such 149
results shall be used in consideration of the implementation of 150
this curriculum statewide. 151
(9) As a component of the comprehensive local school 152
district safety plan required under subsection (2) of this 153
section, beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, the State 154
Department of Education shall require local school districts to 155
conduct, every two (2) years, refresher training on mental health 156
and suicide prevention for all school employees and personnel, 157
including all cafeteria workers, custodians, teachers and 158
administrators. The Mississippi Department of Mental Health shall 159
be responsible for the development and/or selection of the content 160
of the training, which training shall be provided at no cost to 161
school employees. School districts shall report completion of the 162
training to the State Department of Education. 163
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 164
and after July 1, 2026. 165