AB270: Bill Text

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Assembly BILL 270

June 18, 2015 - Introduced by Representatives Johnson, Sargent, Pope, Berceau, Billings, Quinn, Goyke, Subeck, Bowen, Sinicki and C. Taylor. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB270,1,3 An Act to amend 20.255 (1) (kd) and 115.36 (2) (a); and to create 115.36 (2) (f) and 115.36 (2m) of the statutes; relating to: providing training to school board staff in the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law requires the Department of Public Instruction (department) to develop and conduct training programs for the professional staff of public, private, and tribal schools in alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, intervention, and instruction programs. This bill requires the department to include the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) program in its alcohol and other drug abuse intervention and instruction programs beginning six months after the effective date of the bill and to offer SBIRT training to a school district upon the district's request. If a school district requests training in SBIRT, the school district must administer the SBIRT program to all pupils enrolled in the school district in at least one of the grades 6 to 12. Finally, the bill requires the department to submit, by January 1, 2017, a report to the Joint Committee on Finance regarding implementation and efficacy of the SBIRT program and making recommendations about expanding the program.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB270,1 Section 1. 20.255 (1) (kd) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB270,2,7 20.255 (1) (kd) Alcohol and other drug abuse program. The amounts in the schedule for the purpose of s. 115.36 (2) and (2m) (a) and the administration of s. 115.36 (3). All moneys transferred from the appropriation account under s. 20.455 (2) (i) 4. shall be credited to this appropriation account. Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), the unencumbered balance on June 30 of each year shall be transferred to the appropriation account under s. 20.455 (2) (i).

AB270,2 Section 2. 115.36 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB270,2,13 115.36 (2) (a) Develop and conduct training programs for the professional staff of public, private, and tribal schools in alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, intervention, and instruction programs. Beginning 6 months after the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], the department shall be prepared to conduct training in the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program.

AB270,3 Section 3. 115.36 (2) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

AB270,2,18 115.36 (2) (f) No later than January 1, 2017, report to the joint committee on finance regarding implementation of the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program under par. (a). The department shall include all of the following in the report:

AB270,2,19 1. Information on the use of the program by school districts.

AB270,2,20 2. The number of personnel trained in the program.

AB270,2,21 3. The efficacy of the screening protocol.

AB270,2,23 4. The number and percentage of pupils who were screened under the program, disaggregated by grade level.

AB270,3,2 5. Recommendations regarding expanding access to and the use of the program, including whether the screening under the program should be made available at least once to every pupil attending a public school in this state in any one of the grades 6 to 12.

AB270,4 Section 4. 115.36 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB270,3,8 115.36 (2m) Upon the request of a school board, the department shall provide training in the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program to the professional staff of the school district designated by the school board to receive the training. If a school board requests training under this subsection, all of the following apply:

AB270,3,11 (a) The department shall, using funds from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (1) (kd), provide training in the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program in the most cost-effective manner available.

AB270,3,16 (b) 1. Annually, upon completing the training program under par. (a), the school board shall, subject to subd. 2., administer the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program to all pupils enrolled in the school district in any one of the grades 6 to 12. A school board may administer the program to pupils in more than one of the grades 6 to 12.

AB270,3,21 2. Each school board that administers the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program as required under this paragraph shall annually provide to the parent or guardian of each pupil to whom the program will be administered a written description of the program and an opportunity to excuse the pupil from participating in the program.

AB270,3,22 (End)