HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – In an effort to bolster student safety, House Bill 4125, introduced by Rep. Sam Harless, seeks to close critical communication gaps between law enforcement and school districts. The bill mandates timely notifications to school districts when employees are under investigation for serious crimes.
The bill comes in collaboration with Klein ISD after a former cosmetology teacher was charged with running a sex trafficking ring with her son.
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Klein ISD Superintendent Dr. Jenny McGown expressed her support for the bill, stating, “the safety of our students is our top priority. This bill ensures we are informed promptly about any potential threats, allowing us to take necessary actions swiftly.”
Chief of Police Marlon Runnels echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of collaboration. “This bill is a crucial step in strengthening our partnership with school districts. Timely information sharing is essential to maintaining a safe learning environment.”
Kedria Grigsby, 42, was arrested in 2024 and accused of recruiting students -- believed to be teenage runaways -- and forcing them into prostitution.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told KPRC 2 at the time of Grigsby’s arrest that there were three victims in the case, a 15-year-old, 16-year-old and 17-year-old who were reported runaways.
“It appears Grigsby recruited troubled juveniles from local high schools by offering them a place to stay, which would be a hotel. Additional teen victims have come forward stating that Grigsby was also attempting to recruit them while attending school,” Gonzalez said in 2024.
Superintendent Dr. Jenny McGown told parents the district had no idea what was happening.
“We have heard concerns that some in our community are spreading misinformation that Klein ISD knew that Kedria Grigsby was committing these heinous crimes. This is completely false.”
House Bill 4125 outlines specific requirements for law enforcement agencies to notify educational institutions within 24 hours of initiating an investigation or before the next school day, whichever is earlier. Written notifications must follow within seven days, marked “PERSONAL and CONFIDENTIAL,” detailing the nature of the investigation and any relevant safety concerns.
Last year, Klein ISD told KPRC 2 Investigates reporter Robert Arnold that they made a call to the sheriff’s office and were told Grigsby was not a suspect in the investigation. The sheriff’s office told Arnold they never said that and wanted to know from the school who exactly told them that. Klein ISD could not, at the time, provide a record of who from the district communicated with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
“Today I filed HB 4125 with the encouragement of Klein ISD and in consideration of the circumstances surrounding incidents involving criminal investigations of school employees in our public schools,” Harless said in a statement to KPRC 2. “Our desire is to support and foster greater collaboration between law enforcement, school police, and school administrators to provide a safe educational environment for our children, while being fair to school employees. We should always be prioritizing the safety of our kids and working together is the best way to make that happen.”
HB 4125 aims to ensure that educational institutions receive timely and accurate information to make informed decisions about student and staff safety. The bill also emphasizes confidentiality and the integrity of ongoing investigations, with strict guidelines on information sharing and reporting requirements.
