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What’s in Florida’s New School Security Law
Bottom Line: On Tuesday Governor DeSantis signed the most significant expansion of school security measures into law since the addition of the emergency alert system enacted as part of Alyssa’s Law two years ago. The timing of the signing of the legislation on the back of the attack in Uvalde is coincidental. The legislation was passed by the legislature during the state’s regular session and was just recently prepared for DeSantis to sign. It’s part of Florida’s plan to remain proactive on the back of the attack at Stoneman Douglas. So, what’s in it? As outlined by DeSantis when signed:
HB 1421 does the following:
- Extends the sunset of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission;
- Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to enforce, rather than just oversee, school safety and security compliance;
- Authorizes safe school officers to make arrests on charter school property;
- Requires all safe school officers to complete crisis intervention and training to improve knowledge and skills for response and de-escalate incidents on school premises;
- Requires law enforcement officers to be present and involved in active assailant emergency drills;
- Requires school boards to adopt family reunification plans in the event of an evacuation; and
- Requires that school districts must annually certify that at least 80 percent of school personnel have received mandatory youth mental health awareness training.
Beyond extending the Public Safety Commission, which was key to the initial investigation into the failures leading up to the attack at Stoneman Douglas, in addition to the response during the attack, Florida’s incoming Education Commissioner, Manny Diaz, Jr., will be empowered under the new law with the ability to enforce Florida’s school security measures. The law reconciles the role of school resource officers on charter school campuses to match that of officers at traditional public schools. Training among all resource officers will likewise be mandatory and standard. Among the key expansions of policy under the law are improved family reunification procedures following emergencies based on recommendations from law enforcement and mental health professionals. And speaking of mental health, a key expansion in training is set to take place with the minimum 80% threshold for education professionals having been certified with the latest mental health awareness training. A training program which is updated annually. The law is in force as of July 1st, so the new protocols are set to be in place for the upcoming school year.