SPONSOR:

Rep. Hensley & Rep. Heffernan & Rep. Longhurst & Rep. S. Moore & Rep. Bush & Sen. Hansen & Sen. Sturgeon

Reps. Briggs King, Collins, Dukes, Gray, Matthews, Osienski, Ramone, Schwartzkopf, D. Short, Shupe, Michael Smith, Spiegelman, Vanderwende, K. Williams, Yearick; Sens. Bonini, Ennis, Hocker, Lawson, Mantzavinos, Pettyjohn, Poore, Richardson, Wilson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

151st GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 388

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY FUND.

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

Section 1. Amend § 4140, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 4140. Delaware School Safety and Security Fund [Effective upon fulfillment of the contingency in 81 Del. Laws, c. 427, § 2]

(a) There is hereby created the Delaware School Safety and Security Fund to provide partial or full funding to school districts, vocational technical schools, or charter schools (LEAs) for projects intended to improve school safety or security. The fund shall initially be funded with $5,000,000, and shall thereafter be subject to available appropriations. The Department of Education shall maintain a list of all eligible schools, which shall be limited to high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools.

(b) The Department of Education shall administer the Delaware School Safety and Security fund to provide funding to school districts, vocational technical schools, or charter schools (LEAs) for certain expenses incurred on or after the effective date of this section for projects intended to improve school safety or security. The LEA, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Department of Safety and Homeland Security, shall determine which items to apply such funds to and the following expenses for the purposes of this section shall be considered minor capital expenditures and shall be eligible for such funds:

(1) Camera and monitoring equipment.

(2) Vestibule improvements to include framing, glass, hardware, and doors.

(3) Panic button hardware or software to include electronic software applications and technology, cell phone technology and applications.

(4) Door locks, window locks, or similar items.

(5) Magnet security systems.

(6) Swipe card systems.

(7) Visitor pass cameras and security systems.

(8) Door jamb opening sensors.

(9) Active shooter training.

(10) Motion detectors.

(11) Security lighting.

(12) Bus camera security systems.

(13) Bus GPS location systems.

(14) Restraint training.

(c) In addition to the expenses allowed under subsection (b) of this section, the LEA, in conjunction with the Department of Education and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, may apply such funds to pay for constables to be utilized by the LEA.

(c) (d) The funds appropriated to the Delaware School Safety and Security Fund shall be distributed to the Department of Education and shall be allocated proportionately to LEAs based upon the previous year Division I unit count as certified in §§ 1704 and 1710 of this title. For purposes of this section, the provisions of § 7528(b) of Title 29 shall not apply.

(d) (e) The Department of Education and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security shall create a review process and establish a list of criteria for reviewing such requests from LEAs.

(e) (f) Charter schools shall not be eligible for improvements that would be considered major capital expenditures.

SYNOPSIS

This act authorizes the application of funds from the Delaware School Safety and Security Fund, which is subject to available appropriations, for the retention of constables to be utilized by the LEAs.