Appropriation; IHL for behavioral threat assessment and violence-prevention pilot program.

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To: Appropriations E;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scoggin

HOUSE BILL NO. 1809

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF 1
STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING FOR THE PURPOSE OF 2
IMPLEMENTING A BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT AND 3
VIOLENCE-PREVENTION PILOT PROGRAM AT THE STATE-SUPPORTED PUBLIC 4
UNIVERSITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds that state institutions of 7
higher learning serve large and diverse student populations and 8
face increasing challenges related to behavioral threats, campus 9
violence and crisis response. The Legislature further finds that 10
early identification and assessment of potential threats, when 11
conducted using both empirically and evidence-based standardized 12
methods, can prevent acts of violence, distinguish between 13
credible and noncredible threats, reduce unnecessary disciplinary 14
actions, and protect the safety and well-being of students, 15
faculty, staff and the public. It is therefore the intent of the 16
Legislature in this act to provide funding to establish a pilot 17
program at the state-supported public universities to provide 18
those universities with modern tools and resources necessary to 19
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implement consistent, defensible and effective behavioral threat 20
assessment and violence-prevention practices. 21
SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much of it as may be 22
necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State General 23
Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the Board of Trustees of State 24
Institutions of Higher Learning for the purpose of defraying the 25
expenses associated with the implementation of a behavioral threat 26
assessment and violence-prevention pilot program at the 27
state-supported public universities under its jurisdiction, in 28
accordance with Sections 3 through 5 of this act, for the fiscal 29
year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027............. 30
.................................................... $ 1,450,000.00 31
SECTION 3. The funds appropriated by this act shall be 32
allocated by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher 33
Learning to the state-supported public universities under its 34
jurisdiction. Such funds shall be used by the universities for 35
the acquisition and implementation of evidence-based behavioral 36
threat screening and assessment platforms, training and onboarding 37
of institutional personnel, integration with existing campus 38
safety and student support systems, and ongoing technical support 39
and compliance documentation necessary to maintain a standardized 40
and defensible threat assessment process. The universities shall 41
coordinate their implementation efforts with campus police, 42
student affairs offices, counseling and mental-health services, 43
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and other appropriate personnel to ensure effective use of the 44
program. 45
SECTION 4. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of 46
Higher Learning shall maintain complete accounting and 47
programmatic records related to the expenditure of all funds 48
appropriated by this act and shall administer the pilot program in 49
a manner consistent with existing fiscal control laws of the State 50
of Mississippi. 51
SECTION 5. Not later than December 1, 2027, the Board of 52
Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall submit a 53
report to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Universities and 54
Colleges Committees and the House and Senate Appropriations 55
Committees. Such reports shall summarize the use of funds 56
appropriated by this act, the number of participating 57
universities, aggregate information regarding program utilization, 58
observed impacts on campus safety and crisis response, and any 59
recommendations regarding continuation or expansion of the pilot 60
program. 61
SECTION 6. The money appropriated by this act shall be paid 62
by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State General Fund 63
not otherwise appropriated, upon warrants issued by the State 64
Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his or 65
her warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, 66
officer or officers, in the manner provided by law. 67
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ST: Appropriation; IHL for behavioral threat
assessment and violence-prevention pilot
program.
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from 68
and after July 1, 2026. 69