§ 7-1512

(a) There is a Safe Schools Fund.

(b) The purpose of the Fund is to provide grants to local school systems to enhance school safety.

(c) The Subcabinet shall administer the Fund.

(d) (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

(2) The Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund in conjunction with the Executive Director of the Center.

(e) The Fund consists of:

(1) Money credited to the Fund under § 17–106(e) of the Transportation Article;

(2) Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund;

(3) Money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund; and

(4) Any interest earnings of the Fund.

(f) Except as provided in subsections (g) and (h) of this section, the Fund may be used only to provide grants to local school systems to enhance school safety, including:

(1) Conducting training for students and school personnel on de–escalation of situations and identifying and reporting behaviors of concern;

(2) Conducting training of assessment teams;

(3) Conducting school safety evaluations;

(4) Establishing formal and anonymous mechanisms for reporting safety concerns;

(5) Reimbursing local law enforcement agencies for school resource officer training provided by the Center;

(6) Enrolling school security employees in training provided by the Center;

(7) Developing plans to deliver school–based behavioral health and other wraparound services to students who exhibit behaviors of concern, including establishing systems to maximize external funding for services;

(8) Outreach to the broader school community to improve school safety, including to heighten awareness of existing mental health services and other services;

(9) Providing information to students and parents on traveling safely to and from school, including data related to bus and pedestrian safety, strategies for ensuring personal safety, efforts of the local school system to improve safety, and information on available options for reporting incidents and concerns; and

(10) Assisting local school systems to improve and monitor traffic control measures in the immediate vicinity of schools to reduce the potential for pedestrian and vehicle accidents.

(h) The Subcabinet may use the Fund to provide funding to local school systems in accordance with § 7–1510.1 of this subtitle.

(i) (1) The Subcabinet may make grants to local school systems and local law enforcement agencies from the Fund.

(2) The Subcabinet shall establish procedures for local school systems and local law enforcement agencies to apply for grants from the Fund.

(j) (1) The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.

(2) Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund.

(k) Expenditures from the Fund may only be made:

(1) In accordance with the State budget; or

(2) By the budget amendment procedure as provided in § 7–209 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, if at least 45 days have passed since the budget amendment and supporting information were submitted to the budget committees for their review and comment.

(l) Money expended from the Fund by local school systems to enhance school safety is supplemental to and is not intended to take the place of funding that otherwise would be appropriated to local school systems.