Posted: | April 11, 2019 09:13 AM |
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From: | Representative Jason Ortitay |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | School Grounds Self-defense Training Program |
In the near future I intend to introduce legislation to create the School Grounds Self-defense Training Program. This piece of legislation is intended to empower school district employees by providing hands-on training and classroom training. This bill was inspired by a pilot program from a school district in Allegheny County where teachers and staff took part in voluntary training. After going through the program, the participants said they felt empowered and much more confident in their ability to handle a violent intruder situation. Specifically, my bill will amend the Public School Code to create the School Grounds Self-defense Training Program to provide violent intruder and active shooter training for school district employees within this Commonwealth. No later than November 1, 2019, the Secretary of the Department of Education will designate business firms to serve as the school grounds self-defense trainer. In addition, my legislation creates the School Grounds Self-defense Training Fund to award grants to public school districts in the amount of up to $5,000 per school building. The grant may only be used to pay for the costs associated with the program, and a school district may submit only one application during the duration of the program. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB1422