2018 -- S 2639 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, McCaffrey, and Felag

     Date Introduced: March 15, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-21-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21 entitled "Health

and Safety of Pupils" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-21-23. School safety teams, school crisis response teams, and school safety

assessments.

     (a) Each school district of each town, city, and regional school department shall conduct a

school safety assessment in conjunction with local police, fire, school safety team pursuant to the

provisions of this section and any other expert said school department deems necessary. The

assessment shall examine the current status of each school building's safety and shall be

performed within thirty (30) days of passage of this act, and every three (3) years thereafter.

     (1) There shall be a Rhode Island school safety committee whose functions shall include,

but not be limited to, providing training to law enforcement, school administrators and teachers,

collecting and reviewing all hazard safety security assessments, and offering recommendations

and assistance to each school district of every town, city, and regional school department, in an

effort to increase the safety of students and faculty. Said committee shall be comprised of twelve

(12) members as follows: the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or designee, who

shall serve as chairperson of the committee; the president of the Police Chiefs' Association or

designee; the director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency or designee; the

commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education or designee; a

representative from the Rhode Island School Superintendents' Association, to be selected by the

association; the director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities

and hospitals or designee; the state fire marshal or designee; a representative of the Rhode Island

association of school maintenance directors, to be selected by the association; a representative

from the Rhode Island Association of School Principals, to be selected by the association; a

representative from the Rhode Island Association of School Committee, to be selected by the

association; a representative from the National Education Association of Rhode Island

("NEARI"), who shall be a full-time classroom teacher, to be selected by the president of NEARI;

and one representative from the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals

("RIFTHP"), who shall be a full-time classroom teacher, to be selected by the president of the

RIFTHP.

     (2) Each school department of each town, city, and regional school district shall complete

the emergency action plan and shall submit the all hazards site safety survey report to the Rhode

Island school safety committee every three (3) years for the committee's review and

recommendation.

     (3) The assessment shall be completed by November 1 of the year mandated, and by

December 31 of that year, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall report

to the speaker of the house, the senate president, and the governor that such assessments have

been completed. Assessments performed within a year of the date of passage of this act shall

satisfy this requirement.

     (4) All meetings regarding the school safety assessment are not subject to the open

meetings law pursuant to chapter 46 of title 42, and documents produced including, but not

limited to, meeting minutes and the school safety assessment are not subject to the access to

public records law pursuant to chapter 2 of title 38.

     (b) The school committee of each town, city, and regional school department shall review

and adopt in executive session a comprehensive school safety plan regarding crisis intervention,

emergency response, and management. The plan shall be developed by a school safety team

comprised of representatives of the school committee, representatives of student, teacher, and

parent organizations, school safety personnel, school administration, and members of local law

enforcement, fire, and emergency personnel. Members of the school safety team shall be

appointed by the school committee and/or school superintendent of the town, city, or regional

school district. In creating the school safety plan, the school safety team(s) shall consult the

model school safety plan developed by the department of elementary and secondary education

pursuant to § 16-21-23.1.

     (c) The school crisis response team shall be comprised of those selected school personnel

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willing to serve as members of a psychological response team to address the psychological and

emotional needs of the school community, and may seek mental health resources from the

department of elementary and secondary education. Members of the school crisis response team

may coordinate mental health services for those students and school employees affected by acts

of violence in the schools, using resources available through the department of elementary and

secondary education.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

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     This act would codify the Rhode Island school safety committee into the general laws,

and would require that school district safety assessments be provided to the Rhode Island school

safety committee every three (3) years for review and recommendations.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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