Bill Summaries: H380 (2015-2016 Session)

Tracking:
  • Summary date: Apr 21 2015 - View summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

    Amends GS 115C-47 to require local boards of education to adopt a School Risk Management Plan (SRMP) (was, emergency response plans) and requires one to be adopted for each school in its jurisdiction. Requires using the School Risk and Response Management System (SRRMS) in constructing and maintaining the plans. Requires the SRMPs to be adopted by March 1, 2017.

    Amends GS 115C-105.49 as follows. Requires local school administrative units (was, principals and other applicable officials) to hold tabletop exercises and drills. Modifies the requirements for the drill and tabletop exercise. Requires the Department of Public Instruction, Division of Emergency Management, and the Center for Safer Schools to provide guidance and recommendations on the types of hazards to plan and respond to.

    Enacts new GS 115C-105.49A requiring the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Division of Emergency Management, and the Center for Safer Schools to construct and maintain a SRRMS. Sets out requirements for the construction of the SRRMS. Provides that data and information in the SRRMS is not considered public record. Applies beginning with the 2015-16 school year.

    Amends GS 115C-105.51 to return the responsibility for the anonymous tip line to the local school administrative units and allows the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Division of Emergency Management, and the Center for Safer Schools to develop standards and guidelines for the tip lines. Expands the purpose of the anonymous safety tip line application to also include receiving information on risks to the school population. Amends the purpose of the statewide panic alarm system to be launching real time 911 messaging to Public Safety Answering Points (was, purpose of displaying information on risks). Allows the Department of Public Safety, in consultation with DPI and the NC 911 Board, to develop standards and guidelines for the panic alarm tool. Adds that data and information acquired and stored by the anonymous safety tipline are not public record. Allows collection of the annual aggregate number and type of tips sent to the anonymous tip line. Requires DPS to implement an anonymous safety tip line application and a statewide panic alarm system by July 1, 2016.

    Amends GS 115C-105.53 to make the following change. Allows local school administrative units to provide local law enforcement agencies with keys to the main entrance of all school buildings or emergency access to key storage devices. Applies beginning with the 2015-16 school year.

    Amends GS 115C-105.54 to remove references to School Emergency Response Plans (SERPs). Applies beginning with the 2015-16 school year.

    Amends GS 115C-218.75 to encourage charter schools to adopt SRMPs (was, emergency response plans). Encourages charter schools, at least once a year, to hold lockdown exercises. Encourages charter schools to provide schematic diagrams and emergency response information, and provides that those items are not public record. Encourages charter schools to adopt an SRMP by March 1, 2017.

    Amends GS 115C-238.66 to amend the power of the board of directors of regional schools to encourage the adoption of an SMRP (was, emergency response plan), holding lockdown exercises at least once a year and providing schematic diagrams and emergency response information. Encourages regional schools to adopt an SRMP by March 1, 2017. 

    Adds that the money the General Assembly intends to provide for grants may also be used for additional school counselors and school social workers. 

    Makes conforming changes.

    Amends the act's long title. 


  • Summary date: Mar 27 2015 - View summary

    Under current law, each school administrative unit is encouraged to hold a system wide school safety and school lockdown exercise at least every two years.

    Amends GS 115C-105.49, to require that each principal and other applicable school officials annually hold a full school-wide tabletop exercise or drill based on the procedures that are documented in the School Risk Management Plan (SRMP). Encourages each school to hold a tabletop exercise and drill for multiple hazards that are included in its SRMP, including a school lockdown due to an intruder on school grounds. Strongly encourages schools to include local law enforcement agencies and emergency management in its tabletop drills and exercises. Defines a tabletop exercise as one involving key personnel conducting simulated scenarios related to emergency planning. Applies beginning with the 2015-16 school year.

    Amends Article 8C of GS Chapter 115C, enacting new GS 115C-105.49A, which directs the Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management (Division), and the Center for Safer Schools to construct and maintain a statewide School Risk and Responsive Management System (SRRMS). Directs the Division and the Center for Safer Schools to leverage the existing enterprise risk management database in constructing the SRRMS. Also directs that the Division and Center for Safer Schools collaborate with the Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina 911 Board in designing, implementing, and maintaining the SRRMS.

    Amends GS 115C-105.51 to provide and implement a system of monitoring and response applications, including the implementation and maintenance of an anonymous safety tip line to receive anonymous student information on internal or external risks to school buildings and school-related activities and a statewide panic alarm system for displaying that information.

    Makes additional conforming and technical changes to reflect changes regarding school safety exercises, plans, and practices.

    Specifies a timetable for reporting on the implementation of the school safety plans in this act. Provides that the Department of Public Safety is to have implemented an anonymous safety tip line application and a statewide panic alarm system under GS 115C-105.51 by July 1, 2016. Declares that it is the intent of the General Assembly, subject to the availability of funds, to provide grants to local school administrative units, regional schools, and charter schools for additional school psychologists, guidance counselors, and social workers. Asserts that these funds will be matched on the basis of $1 in state funds for every $1 in local funds, used to supplement school funding and not to supplant state, local, and federal funds expended for school psychologists, guidance counselors, and social workers.

    Requires the State Board of Education to include need-based consideration in setting up its criteria for awarding these grants to local school administrative units. Directs the SBE to give less priority to local school administrative units who have received a grant for school resource officers under Section 8.36 of SL 2013-360.