PUBLIC SCHOOL SAFETY DRILLS H.B. 4713 (H-2):
COMMITTEE SUMMARY
House Bill 4713 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Joseph Graves
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Fire Prevention Code to modify provisions regarding the frequency and timing of public school safety drills; require schools' governing bodies to post documentation of completed drills; and require schools' chief administrators to notify county emergency management coordinators of scheduled drills.
The bill would be effective July 1, 2014.
Fire Drills
Under the Code, a school that operates any of grades kindergarten through 12 must hold at least six fire drills per school year. Four drills must be held in the fall, and two during the remainder of the school year.
The bill would require a K-12 school to hold a minimum of five fire drills per school year. Three of the drills would have to take place by December 1, and two during the remainder of the school year. There would have to be a reasonable spacing interval between each drill.
Tornado Drills
The Code requires a K-12 school to hold at least two tornado safety drills for each school year. Schools must conduct the drills for the purpose of preventing fires and related hazards and injuries caused by severe weather.
Under the bill, at least one tornado safety drill would have to be held in March. Tornado drills would be conducted for the purpose of preventing injuries caused by severe weather.
Lockdown Drills
A K-12 school must hold at least two drills in which the school occupants are restricted to the building interior and the building is secured (commonly referred to as "lockdown drills"). These drills must include security measures that are appropriate to an emergency, including hazardous material releases, and the presence of an armed individual.
The bill would require a minimum of three drills. At least one would have to be held by December 1, and at least one after January 1, with a reasonable spacing interval between
each drill. Instead of an "armed individual", the bill would refer to a "potentially dangerous individual".
The Code requires a school to conduct a drill in coordination with the local emergency management coordinator, or the county sheriff, chief of police, or fire chief, or a designee, and consistently with applicable Federal, State, and local emergency operations plans. The bill would delete this requirement.
Under the Code, the Michigan State Police Emergency Management Division must develop a model to be used by a school in conducting a lockdown drill. The bill would refer to the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division.
The Division also must develop a model to be used by a local emergency management coordinator or county sheriff, chief of police, or fire chief, or a designee, in conducting a drill. The bill would delete this requirement.
Lunch & Recess Drills
A K-12 school must hold some required drills during lunch or recess periods, or at other times when a significant number of students are gathered but not in the classroom.
Under the bill, a school would have to hold at least one drill during a lunch or recess period, or at another time when a significant number of students were gathered but not in the classroom.
Website Reporting
The bill would require the governing body of a K-12 school to ensure that documentation of a completed school safety drill was posted on its website within five days of completing the drill. The information would have to be maintained on the website for at least three years, and include at least all of the following:
-- The school name.
-- The school year of the drill.
-- The date and time of the drill.
-- The type of drill.
-- The number of each type of completed drill for that school year.
-- The signature of the school principal or a designee acknowledging the completion of the drill.
-- The name of the individual in charge of conducting the drill, if different than the school principal.
County Emergency Management Reporting
Under the bill, by September 15 of each school year, the chief administrator of a K-12 school, or his or her designee, would have to give the county emergency management coordinator a list of the scheduled drill days for the school buildings that the school, school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy operated. The county emergency management coordinator would have to provide the information to the appropriate local emergency management coordinator, if any, and, consistent with applicable Federal, State, and local emergency operations plans, to the Michigan State Police district coordinator and the county sheriff, chief of police, or fire chief, or a designee.
MCL 29.19 Legislative Analyst: Glenn Steffens
FISCAL IMPACT
Any additional cost to local schools from this legislation would be minimal, and would be the result of requiring the governing body of a school to ensure that documentation of school safety drills was posted on the school's website and maintained there for at least three years, and requiring the provision of a list of scheduled drill days to the county emergency management coordinator.
There would be no State costs associated with this legislation.
Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.