PRINTER'S NO. 2988
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2057
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY BOBACK, HELM, D. COSTA, MURT, ROEBUCK, WARREN AND
WATSON, FEBRUARY 5, 2018
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 5, 2018
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in grounds and buildings, providing
for panic buttons in schools; in safe schools, further
providing for Office for Safe Schools; and, in terms and
courses of study, further providing for fire and emergency
evacuation drills.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 739.1. Panic Button.--(a) Within two years of the
effective date of this section, each school building shall be
equipped with at least two panic buttons as follows:
(1) One panic button placed in the office of the principal
or chief school administrator of the school building.
(2) One panic button placed strategically and
inconspicuously in the main administration office for office
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personnel to have access to during a violent or life-threatening
emergency situation.
(b) A panic button under subsection (a) shall be a silent
alarm which is directly linked to and which only alerts each
emergency entity.
(c) A panic button under subsection (a) may not be:
(1) linked to the school building's alarm system; and
(2) used to communicate alerts to faculty, students and
other personnel.
(d) Except for a panic button, a school may use any means of
communication to alert school personnel and students.
(e) A school may apply to the Office of Safe Schools for a
grant.
(f) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Chief school administrator" shall mean the superintendent of
an area vocational-technical school, executive director of an
intermediate unit or chief executive officer of a charter school
or regional charter school.
"Emergency entity" shall mean all of the following:
(1) The local law enforcement agency within whose
jurisdiction the school building is located.
(2) The public safety answering point whose geographic area
includes the school building.
"Public safety answering point" shall have the same meaning
as given to the term in 35 Pa.C.S. ยง 5302 (relating to
definitions).
"School building" shall mean a building of any of the
following which serves pupils:
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(1) A n area vocational-technical school.
(2) A school district.
(3) An intermediate unit.
(4) A charter school.
(5) A regional charter school.
Section 2. Section 1302-A(c)(9) of the act is amended to
read:
Section 1302-A. Office for Safe Schools.--* * *
(c) In addition to the powers and duties set forth under
subsection (b), the office is authorized to make targeted grants
to school entities to fund programs which address school
violence, including:
* * *
(9) Security planning, purchase of security-related
technology which may include metal detectors, protective
lighting, surveillance equipment, special emergency
communications equipment, including panic button capability to
alert each emergency entity of a violent or life-threatening
emergency situation, electronic locksets, deadbolts and theft
control devices and training in the use of security-related
technology. Security planning and purchase of security-related
technology shall be based on safety needs identified by the
school entity's board of directors.
* * *
Section 3. Section 1517 of the act, amended November 6, 2017
(P.L.1142, No.55), is amended to read:
Section 1517. Fire and Emergency Evacuation Drills.--(a)
Except as provided under subsection (a.1), in all school
buildings of school entities where fire-escapes, appliances for
the extinguishment of fires, or proper and sufficient exits in
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case of fire or panic, either or all, are required by law to be
maintained, fire drills shall be periodically conducted, not
less than one a month, by the teacher or teachers in charge,
under rules and regulations to be promulgated by the chief
school administrator under whose supervision such school
entities are. In such fire drills the pupils and teachers shall
be instructed in, and made thoroughly familiar with, the use of
the fire-escapes, appliances and exits. The drill shall include
the actual use thereof, and the complete removal of the pupils
and teachers, in an expeditious and orderly manner, by means of
fire-escapes and exits, from the building to a place of safety
on the ground outside.
(a.1) Within ninety (90) days of the commencement of the
school year after the effective date of this subsection and
within ninety (90) days of the commencement of each school year
thereafter, each school entity [may conduct] shall conduct at
least one school [security] safety drill per school year in each
school building in place of a fire drill required under
subsection (a). All of the following shall apply:
(1) The school [security drill may] safety drill shall be
conducted while the school entity is in session and students are
present under policies adopted by the chief school
administrator.
(2) The chief school administrator or a designee shall
oversee the instruction and training of students and school
employees in the procedures to be used in the school [security]
safety drill.
(3) The chief school administrator shall notify and request
assistance from [the local law enforcement agency and] an
emergency [management agency] entity before conducting the
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school [security] safety drill. The notification shall include:
(A) Time and date of the school safety drill.
(B) The address of the school building where the school
safety drill is being conducted.
(C) The names of individuals in charge of the school safety
drill.
(4) The chief school administrator shall provide notice of
the school [security] safety drill in advance to parents and
legal guardians of the students attending the school building
for which the school [security] safety drill is scheduled.
(b) Chief school administrators are hereby required to see
that the provisions of this section are faithfully carried out
in the school entities over which they have charge.
(c) Any person who violates or fails to comply with the
provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and
on conviction shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than
twenty-five dollars ($25) nor more than five hundred dollars
($500), or to undergo imprisonment in the county jail for not
less than (10) days or more than sixty (60) days, or both.
(d) The following shall apply:
(1) All school entities using or contracting for school
buses for the transportation of school children shall conduct
on school grounds two emergency evacuation drills on buses
during each school year, the first to be conducted during the
first week of the first school term and the second during the
month of March, and at such other times as the chief school
administrator may require. Each such drill shall include the
practice and instruction concerning the location, use and
operation of emergency exit doors and fire extinguishers and
the proper evacuation of buses in the event of fires or
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accidents.
(2) Bus operators shall be provided with proper training
and instructions to enable them to carry out the provisions
of this subsection and may be required to attend classes and
drills in connection therewith.
(e) On or before the tenth day of April of each year, each
chief school administrator shall certify to the Department of
Education that the emergency evacuation drills and school
[security] safety drills herein required have been conducted in
accordance with this section.
(f) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Chief school administrator" shall mean the superintendent of
a school district, superintendent of an area vocational-
technical school, executive director of an intermediate unit or
chief executive officer of a charter school or regional charter
school.
"Emergency entity" as defined in section 739.1(f).
"School entity" shall mean an area vocational-technical
school, school district, intermediate unit, charter school or
regional charter school.
"School [security] safety drill" shall mean a planned
exercise, other than a fire drill or natural disaster drill,
designed to practice procedures to respond to an emergency
situation that may include, but is not limited to, an act of
terrorism, armed intruder situation or other violent threat.
Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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