Contact: Lindsey Ross, Senior Press Secretary
Lindsey.Ross@iga.in.gov
317-232-9498
STATEHOUSE (April 4, 2019) – A bill sponsored by State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) that would make changes to requirements regarding the Indiana Safe Schools Fund and Indiana Secured School Fund to help improve school safety in Indiana recently passed the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development unanimously.
House Bill 1004 would, among other things:
• Allow a grant through the Indiana Secured School Fund to be used to employ a law enforcement officer;
• Make changes regarding the type of schools that may receive a grant as well as the maximum grant amounts that may be received through the Indiana Secured School Fund;
• Require each school corporation, charter school or accredited nonpublic school to certify to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security that they conducted a threat assessment for each of their buildings before applying for a matching grant through the Indiana Secured School Fund;
• Allow the Indiana Secured School Fund to be used to provide grants for school-based mental health services for students, with strong parental consent requirements; and
• Require school corporations to conduct an active-shooter drill each semester as well as accredited nonpublic and charter schools to conduct one each school year.
“Ensuring Indiana has measures in place to further protect Hoosier students, teachers and staff is a high priority for me,” Raatz said. “Given the incidents that occurred in our state in 2018, it is important for us to do all we can to keep our schools secure. This bill would make the necessary changes to improve school safety across Indiana.”
Based on concerns brought forward regarding teachers injured during an active-shooter safety drill in White County, the bill would also include a provision to prevent similar injuries from occurring in the future.
HB 1004 will now move to the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
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For a high-resolution photo of Sen. Raatz, click here.
