DELAWARE STATE SENATE

149th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 215

AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL SAFETY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 82, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 8237A. Omnibus School Safety Fund.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Charter school” means a school established under Chapter 5 of Title 14.

(2) “Omnibus School Safety Fund” or “Fund” means the fund created under subsection (a) of this section.

(3) “Public school” means a school within a school district.

(4) “School district” means a clearly defined geographic subdivision of the State organized for the purpose of administering public education in that area and includes a district specifically created to administer a system of vocational or technical education.

(5) “School safety project” means a project in compliance with subsection (d) of this section or approved by the Secretary under this section.

(6) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security or the Secretary’s designee.

(b) The Omnibus School Safety Fund is created to provide funding to a public school or a charter school for a school safety project that is part of the public school’s or charter school’s comprehensive school safety plan, adopted under § 8237 of this title.

(c) The Secretary shall award moneys from the Fund to a public school or charter school that applies for funding for a school safety project and meets the requirements under subsection (e) of this section.

(d) School safety projects include projects that enable a public school or a charter school to do any of the following:

(1) Install bullet resistant glass or film in the public school’s or charter school’s entry areas.

(2) Screen each individual entering the public school’s or charter school’s building.

(3) Screen each book bag or other container or package brought into the public school’s or charter school’s building.

(4) Install key card entrance and exit devices to entrances to the public school’s or charter school’s building.

(5) Install video cameras at entrances to, within, or on the property of the public school or charter school.

(6) Complete other projects approved by the Secretary by regulation.

(e) For a public school or charter school to be eligible to receive an award of funds under this section, the public school or charter school must meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Complete an application and file it with the Secretary.

(2) Have 2 individuals on staff to provide security services to the public school or charter school. The individuals must be dedicated full-time to provide security services and must carry a firearm.

(3) Have selected a vendor for the school safety project for which the public school or charter school is seeking funding.

(4) Any other requirement approved by the Secretary by regulation.

(f) The Secretary may promulgate regulations and forms necessary to implement and enforce this section.

Section 2. The General Assembly appropriates $65 million in Fiscal Year 2019 to fund the Omnibus School Safety Fund created by this Act. Notwithstanding any other law of this State to the contrary, money in the Omnibus School Safety Fund that is unencumbered on June 30, 2019, on any subsequent June 30 of a year, does not revert to the State’s General Fund.

SYNOPSIS

This Act creates the Omnibus School Safety Fund to provide funding to public and charter schools for certain school safety projects.

Author: Senator Lawson