Rep. Hall Statement on Senate Approval of School Security Legislation

HARTFORD – State Representative Carol Hall (R-59) released the following statement after the State Senate unanimously voted to pass HB 7291 “An Act Concerning School Security” in the early morning hours Wednesday, June 5th.

“I am thrilled that the Senate unanimously approved this legislation,” said Rep. Hall. “This legislation is an important step towards improving our school security regulations

“For the past year, the school security working group has been meeting with stakeholders from communities across the state. This bill directly addresses difficulties that boards of education and school administrators had with filing school security plans, applying for school safety grants and finding qualified consultants to develop plans.

“School safety and security is not a partisan issue. Our students spend most of their day at school and parents shouldn’t have to worry about their child’s safety. We cannot afford to be complacent. This legislation is just one part of an ongoing effort to make sure that the state is doing everything it can to protect students.”

House Bill 7291, “An Act Concerning School Security,” requires the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) to update school security and safety plan standards, simplify school security reporting requirements and infrastructure grant applications, and identify qualified school security consultants and limit the existing registry to such individuals only.

If approved by the Governor, the legislation would become effective on October 1st.