Students and lawmakers back bill requiring threat reporting and security assessments in schools

A school-safety bill that would require mandatory reporting of certain threats and periodic physical-security assessments advanced out of the Senate Education Committee after students who helped shape the proposal briefed the committee.

Chairman Edmonds presented SB 450 as the product of a K–12 School Safety Task Force and the Legislative Youth Advisory Council. Student witnesses described two core components: mandatory reporting of serious threats to the state's fusion center to create statewide data on school threats, and a free triennial physical-security assessment by state police to identify vulnerabilities and recommend best practices. "What these assessments do is it's a free resource for schools to be able to take these best practices and implement them into their schools so that children feel safer," a student testified.

Committee members adopted the measure by voice vote and said work would continue on details as the bill moves forward. Supporters emphasized the bill's role in data collection and in offering an expert, cost-free assessment option for districts.