HB 2400

Abstract

Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Provides that parents or guardians must receive prior notice of a law enforcement drill not less than 5 days prior to the drill. Provides that a law enforcement drill (i) must not include simulations that mimic an actual school shooting incident or active shooter event, (ii) must be announced in advance to all school personnel and students prior to the commencement of the drill, (iii) must include content that is age appropriate and developmentally appropriate, (iv) must include and involve school personnel, including school-based mental health professionals, and (v) must include trauma-informed approaches to address the concerns and well-being of students and school personnel. Requires a school district to include in its annual review of each school building's emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and procedures an examination of the efficacy and effects of law enforcement drills. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Changes certain references relating to law enforcement drills to law enforcement lockdown drills. Removes the requirement that parents or guardians must receive prior notice of a law enforcement drill not less than 5 days prior to the drill. Provides that (i) school administrators and school support personnel may, in their discretion, exempt a student or students from participating in a walk-through lockdown drill; (ii) schools must provide sufficient information and notification to parents and guardians in advance of any walk-through lockdown drill that involves the participation of students and must also provide to parents and guardians an opportunity to exempt their child for any reason from participating in the walk-through lockdown drill; (iii) schools must provide alternative safety education and instruction related to an active threat or active shooter event to students who do not participate in a walk-through lockdown drill to provide them with essential information, training, and instruction through less sensorial safety training methods; (iv) during a drill, students must be allowed to ask questions related to the drill; and (v) law enforcement may choose to run an active shooter simulation, but only on school days when students are not present, and parental notification is not required if students are not required to be present. Corrects a typographical error.