SPONSOR:   

Rep. Jaques & Rep. K. Williams & Sen. Sokola

 

Reps. Bolden, Lynn, Mitchell

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

HOUSE BILL NO. 14

 

 

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL PROPERTY AND HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.

 

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

 

Section 1. Amend § 4109, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strike through as follows:

                § 4109. School property; health and safety requirements.

(a) Every public school shall be equipped with an adequate number of fire extinguishers and shall hold a fire drill at least once every month while the school is in session. In addition, every door into a classroom in every public school shall be lockable from both inside and outside of the classroom.

(b) Each board of education shall see that the requirements of subsection (a) of this section are complied with in the schools under their respective jurisdictions.

(c) Where an area of real property which is owned or administered by a school district is bounded by a wall, fence or other structure which has gates or other lockable entrances, the local board of education shall notify the nearest providers of ambulance, fire and police services of the location of such gates and entrances. The local board of education shall provide to the ambulance service, fire company or police department a key of each such enclosed area with the board's jurisdiction. For purposes of this subsection, the words "real property" shall include all unimproved land only and shall not include buildings.

          Section 2.  This Act shall take effect August 1, 2015.

SYNOPSIS

As a public school safety measure, this bill requires that any door to a classroom will be equipped with a lock that can be locked from either side of the door.  Many doors are currently not capable of locking from the inside.  Locking the door(s) to a classroom from inside the classroom would enable precluding a school intruder from entering that classroom.