MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Senator(s) Longwitz
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-3-93, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND PROMULGATE A UNIFIED PREVENTION AND REACTION PLAN FOR SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE 2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR; TO PROVIDE THAT THIS SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER STANDARDS AND TRAINING AND INTEGRATION OF SCHOOL SECURITY CAMERAS WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 37-3-93, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-3-93. (1) Subject to
the availability of funding specifically appropriated for such purpose, there
is established a School Violence and Crisis Management Program under the
State Department of Education. This program is to be initiated and executed by
the department using only existing staff and resources. Under this program,
the State Department of Education shall create an office making available a
quick response team of personnel trained in school safety and crisis management
to respond to traumatic or violent situations that impact students and faculty
in the public schools in Mississippi. * * *
(2) Effective with the 2013-2014 school year, the State Board of Education shall develop and promulgate a standard state-of-the-art violence prevention and reaction plan for school crisis situations to be implemented by all school districts. This standard school security plan shall include the following elements:
(a) Increased deployment of law enforcement officers in order that trained, sworn enforcement officers assigned to primary and secondary schools play an integral part in the development and enhancement of a comprehensive school safety plan;
(b) School Resource Officers shall attend the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy and shall be required to participate in training through the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Program with the cost to be defrayed from available federal, state or local funds.
(c) The safety plan shall include state-of-the-art standards for security cameras in schools and safety equipment with the integration of school safety systems with the systems of local law enforcement agencies.
(d) The School Violence and Crisis Management Program shall include a quick response team operated in accordance with the following:
( * * *i) The basic response team shall
consist of those personnel designated by the State Superintendent of Public
Education, or their designees, depending on the size of the school and the
nature of the event.
( * * *ii) In order to access the services of
a response team, the request must be made by the local school principal or the
superintendent of schools, who shall make the request to the State Department
of Education or its contact designee.
( * * *iii) A response team shall enter a
school to work with students and faculty for a period of no more than three (3)
days, unless otherwise requested by the school district.
( * * *iv) The State Department of Education,
or its designee, shall operate a toll-free incoming wide area telephone service
for the purpose of receiving reports of suspected cases of school violence and
other traumatic situations impacting on students and faculty in the public
schools.
( * * *v) The request made by a school
district to access the services of a response team following a school safety
incident may seek a review of the local school district's safety plan, and the
results of this evaluation may be published by the local school board in a
newspaper with wide circulation in the district.
( * * *vi) Subject to the availability of
funds specifically appropriated therefor by the Legislature, the expenses of
the School Violence and Crisis Management Program and the quick response
teams and their administrative support shall be provided from state funds. The
State Department of Education may apply for and expend funds for the support
and maintenance of this program from private and other funding sources.
( * * *3) Local school districts, school
superintendents and principals may request and utilize the services of quick
response teams provided for under this section; however, this section does not
require school officials to request the services of quick response teams as
an alternative to local law enforcement agencies.
(4) The State Department of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations prescribing procedures for the application, expenditure requirements and the administration of the School Violence and Crisis Management Program established under this section, and shall make a report on the implementation of the program with any recommendations to the 2014 Regular Session of the Legislature.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.