PRINTER'S NO. 1003

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

867

Session of

2015

INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, SCARNATI, VULAKOVICH AND WHITE,

JUNE 2, 2015

REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JUNE 2, 2015

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. Section 1302-A(d) of the act of March 10, 1949

(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,

amended July 9, 2014 (P.L.1039, No.122), is amended to read:

Section 1302-A. Office for Safe Schools.--* * *

(d) The office shall have the following duties as to

(i) the purpose for which the targeted grant shall be

utilized;

(ii) information indicating need for the targeted grant,

including, but not limited to, school violence statistics;

(iii) an estimated budget;

(iv) methods for measuring outcomes; and

(v) any other criteria as the office may require.

(2) The office shall:

(i) Give priority in grant funding under subsection (c) to a

school entity designated as a persistently dangerous school as

defined in 22 Pa. Code § 403.2 (relating to definitions).

(iv) For school entities, municipalities, local law

enforcement agencies and nonpublic schools that apply for

funding for the training and compensation of school resource

officers and school police officers under subsection (c.1), give

priority to school entities, municipalities, local law

enforcement agencies and nonpublic schools that utilize school

resource officers or school police officers who have completed

additional training recommended by the Department of Education

relating to interaction with all children and adolescents within

a school setting.

school police officers who satisfy all of the following:

(A) Are retired Federal agents or retired State, municipal

or military police officers.

(B) Are independent contractors of the school entity or

nonpublic school.

(C) Are compensated on an hourly basis and receive no other

compensation or fringe benefits from the school entity or

nonpublic school.

(D) Have completed such annual training as shall be required

by the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training

Commission pursuant to 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D (relating to

has not employed a school police officer within the three years

immediately preceding the effective date of this clause.

Nothing in this clause shall be construed to impact on grant

decisions for school entities, municipalities or local law

enforcement agencies that apply for funding for hiring of school

resource officers pursuant to subsection (c.1).

(3) The office shall provide all targeted grant agreements

to the Department of Education's comptroller for review and

approval prior to awarding the grant. The school entity,

municipality, local law enforcement agency or approved vendor

truthful and accurate information that the office may require.

The office shall conduct a thorough annual evaluation of each

program for which a grant under this section is made. The office

shall seek repayment of funds if it determines that funds were

not utilized for the original stated purpose.

(4) A public school, charter school or area vocational-

technical school is not eligible for a targeted grant unless the

school includes in its application documentation that the school

periodically conducts a ctive shooter drills in accordance with

the plan under section 1517(e).

* * *

Section 1517. Fire and Emergency Evacuation Drills.--(a) In

all public schools where fire-escapes, appliances for the

extinguishment of fires, or proper and sufficient exits in 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 district

superintendent under whose supervision such schools are. In such

fire drills the pupils and teachers shall be instructed in, and

made thoroughly familiar with, the use of the fire-escapes,

the provisions of this section are faithfully carried out in the

schools 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) (1) All schools 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

(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.

(3) On or before the tenth day of April of each year, each

district superintendent shall certify to the Department of

[Public Instruction] Education that the emergency evacuation

drills herein required have been held.

(e) (1) In any public school, active shooter drills may be

periodically conducted. The drills may be in place of, or in

be taken in the event of an active shooter.

(2) The Department of Education, through its Office for Safe

Schools, shall develop a plan that describes best practices and

establishes minimum standards for active shooter drills. The

plan must be approved by the Pennsylvania State Police prior to

the adoption of the plan by the Department of Education and use

of the plan by schools.

(3) District superintendents are required to ensure that

active shooter drills in the schools over which they have charge

are carried out in conformity with the plan.

(4) The Office for Safe Schools shall annually review the

Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.