Resolve, Directing the Department of Education To Develop Safety Standards for School Access

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  the safety and security of our school facilities, educators and students are a top priority in the State; and

Whereas,  recently in another jurisdiction the safety and security of school facilities, educators and students were tragically compromised; and

Whereas,  until outstanding safety and security issues are addressed, our school facilities, educators and students remain needlessly vulnerable; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Department of Education to develop safety standards for school access. Resolved: That the Department of Education shall develop safety standards to make entryways in school buildings more secure, including, for new construction, the use of bullet-resistant glass and materials and safe rooms or enclosures for access points to school buildings and, for existing construction, the identification of ways to decrease the vulnerability of entryways and the reconfiguration of access points to school buildings; and be it further

Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That, no later than January 1, 2014, the Department of Education shall submit a report that includes the safety standards required to be developed under section 1, including suggested legislation, and an estimate of the cost to implement these standards in new and old construction to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs is authorized to introduce a bill related to the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 126th Legislature.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This resolve directs the Department of Education to develop safety standards for entryways in existing and new school construction and report these standards to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs by January 1, 2014.