State Representative Rick Scarbrough, a former police chief from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is co-sponsoring a bill with House Speaker Cameron Sexton that aims to improve communication between school districts and parents regarding school threats. The legislation comes in response to a series of school threats made by students across the state last fall.

The bill requires school districts to notify parents within 48 hours if they report credible threats of violence or significantly disruptive behavior to law enforcement. Scarbrough believes this will allow parents to make informed decisions about their child’s safety and attendance during an ongoing threat, as well as keep them updated on the investigation’s outcome.

If passed, the legislation would also mandate school districts to report the number of incidents each quarter. The bill has already passed in the Senate and is set for a vote in the House on Monday. Scarbrough argues that this increased transparency will foster trust and improve relationships between school systems and parents.