School Safety Bill Advances, Says Staats
HARRISBURG – Legislation coauthored by Rep. Craig Staats (R-Bucks), Rep. Gary Day (R-Berks, Lehigh) and Rep. Sid Kavulich (D-Lackawanna), which would require public schools to complete one school security drill annually, advanced this week out of the House Education Committee.
House Bill 2087 was born out of the recommendations of the bipartisan Select Committee on School Safety and Security which was created to review and investigate Pennsylvania’s current laws, regulations and policies concerning safety and security in the state’s K-12 schools and institutions of higher education.
To ensure that schools are not burdened by an additional mandate, schools will be permitted to perform the safety and security drill in place of a fire drill, which current law already requires schools to perform monthly. Schools are also encouraged to adapt the security drill to a variety of different threats to ensure that students and faculty are prepared for several scenarios.
“This bill would provide an additional tool for schools to ensure the safety of Pennsylvania’s students. In our ever-changing world, preparation is key and I believe we should do all we can to keep our students safe,” said Staats.
The bill was passed unanimously by the House Education Committee and now moves to the full House for a vote.
Representative Craig Staats
145th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Morgan Dux
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mdux@pahousegop.com
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