SCHOOL SAFETY ASSESSMENT S.B. 983:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 983 (as introduced 5-3-18)
Sponsor: Senator Marty Knollenberg
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require a school district or public school academy (PSA) to conduct a school safety assessment and to develop an emergency operations plan for each building operated by the district or PSA.
Specifically, beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, and then at least biennially, a school district, intermediate school district (ISD), or public school academy would be required, in conjunction with a local law enforcement agency, to conduct a school safety assessment for each school building operated by the school district, ISD, or PSA.
By January 1, 2020, with input from the public, a school district, ISD, or PSA would have to develop an emergency operations plan for each school building operated by the school district, ISD, or PSA. The board of the school district or ISD or the board of directors of the PSA would have to adopt the emergency operations plan by a majority vote of its members at a public meeting held in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
The emergency operations plan would have to include guidelines and procedures that addressed all of the following:
-- School violence and attacks.
-- Threats of school violence and attacks.
-- Bomb threats.
-- Fire.
-- Weather-related emergencies.
-- Intruders.
-- Parent and pupil reunification.
-- Threats to a school-sponsored activity or event whether or not it was held on school premises.
-- A plan to train teachers on mental health and pupil and teacher safety.
-- A plan to improve school building security.
-- An active shooter protocol.
A school district, ISD, or PSA would have to notify to the Department of Education of a completed school safety assessment within 30 days after it was completed, in a form and manner prescribed by the Department. A school district, ISD, or PSA also would have to notify the Department of the adoption of an emergency operations plan within 30 days after the plan was adopted, as prescribed by the Department.
At least annually, the Department would have to post on its website a list of each school district, ISD, or PSA that had not developed and adopted an emergency operations plan.
Under the bill, "school building" would mean a building intended to be used to provide instruction for pupils, including an addition to an existing building, or a recreational or athletic structure or field intended to be used by pupils.
The bill would take effect 90 days after it was enacted.
Proposed MCL 380.1308a Legislative Analyst: Nathan Leaman
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a minimal, indeterminate impact on the Department of Education, intermediate school districts, school districts, public school academies, and local law enforcement units. The Department would have annual costs associated with tracking and reporting on each intermediate school district, school district, and public school academy that did not develop or adopt an emergency operations plan. Since these local units would have to report to the Department after adopting a plan, the department would have to track only the units that did not report, which would limit the overall costs.
Intermediate school districts, school districts, public school academies, and local law enforcement units would experience various costs from biennially conducting school safety assessments for each school building and developing emergency operations plans. Costs would vary depending on how many intermediate school districts, school districts, and public school academies currently have emergency operations plans, how many conduct school safety assessments, how many school buildings are in a district, and whether those assessments are conducted biennially.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.