DRILLS DURING RECESS S.B. 1108 (S-2): FIRST ANALYSIS




Senate Bill 1108 (Substitute S-2 as reported)
Sponsor: Senator Jud Gilbert, II
Committee: Education


Date Completed: 5-17-06

RATIONALE


Under the Fire Prevention Code, schools in Michigan must perform a minimum number of fire drills and tornado drills on a regular basis. Typically, these drills occur during times when students are in class, under the direct supervision of teachers. Some have pointed out that an emergency can occur at any time, generally without warning, and have suggested schools may not be well prepared to handle an emergency that occurs during recess, lunchtime, or between classes, when students are not in the classroom. Some believe that schools should practice what to do if something happens at a time when students are not in class.

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Fire Prevention Code to require a school that operated any grades between kindergarten and 12th grade to conduct some of the drills required under the Code during lunch or recess, or at other times when a significant number of students were gathered but not in the classroom.


MCL 29.19

ARGUMENTS (Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)

Supporting Argument Although schools have significantly improved their emergency preparedness in recent years, most schools do not have a plan to address an emergency that occurs during recess, lunch, or between classes. At these times, students may be scattered throughout the school, with no adult to turn to for guidance, and no idea what to do. Natural disasters such as fire or tornadoes can occur at any time, and schools need to develop a plan for students to follow if they are not in class. The bill would fill this common gap in many schools' emergency preparedness plans, by requiring some drills to be conducted during times when students were not in class.


Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no direct fiscal impact on the State but would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on K-12 school districts.


Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb1108/0506