SCHOOL LOCKDOWN DRILLS H.B. 4460 (H-2): COMMITTEE SUMMARY
House Bill 4460 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative William VanRegenmorter
House Committee: Education
Senate Committee: Education
Date Completed: 5-10-06
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Fire Prevention Code to reduce the number of required fire drills at State-supported schools, colleges, and universities, and school dormitories from eight to six each school year, and to require at least two drills in which the occupants were secured inside the building.
The Code requires the chief administrative officer and the teachers of all State-supported schools, colleges, and universities, and the owner or owner's representative of all school dormitories to have a fire drill each month. The Code also requires at least eight fire drills each school year. If weather conditions do not permit fire drills to be held once a month, then at least five drills must be held every fall and three must be held during the remainder of the year. The bill, instead, would require six fire drills each school year, with at least four held in the fall and two during the remainder of the year.
In addition, the bill would require all State-supported schools, colleges, and universities, and all school dormitories to conduct a minimum of two drills in which the occupants were restricted to the interior of the building and the building was secured. The drills would have to include security measures that were appropriate to an emergency such as the release of a hazardous material or the presence of an armed individual on or near the premises, and would have to be conducted in coordination with the local emergency management coordinator appointed under the Emergency Management Act, and consistently with applicable Federal, State, and local emergency operations plans. The governing body of a school, college, or university or the owner of a school dormitory would have to seek input from the school, college or university administration on the nature of the drills to be conducted under these provisions.
The State Police Emergency Management Division would have to develop a model for a school, college, university, or owner of a school dormitory to use in conducting a drill described above, and a model for a local emergency management coordinator to use in coordinating such a drill.
Under the Code, all doors and exits must be kept unlocked during school hours and when the school is open to the public. The bill instead would require unrestricted emergency egress during those times.
MCL 29.19 Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker
FISCAL IMPACT
There would be no direct fiscal impact on the State but there would be an indeterminate fiscal impact on K-12 school districts, community colleges, and universities, which could incur the cost of training staff in conducting so-called "lockdown" drills. Costs could be more for universities with large numbers of campus buildings and dormitories. For example, at the 15 public universities, there are more than 2,000 campus buildings, including over 800 dormitories.
Fiscal Analysts: Bruce Baker
Joe Carrasco
Ellen Jeffries
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. hb4460/0506