2013 -- S 0800 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC02197/SUB A

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Metts, Crowley, Miller, and Sheehan

     Date Introduced: March 27, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Education

(Governor)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-21-25 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21 entitled "Health

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and Safety of Pupils" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-21-25. Review of school safety plans - Waiver. --

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      (a) Each city, town, or regional department school safety plan and school emergency

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response plans shall be reviewed on an annual basis by the school committee and updated as

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appropriate annually. These reviews and updates shall be completed by November 1 of any given

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year, and by December 31 of that year the commissioner of elementary and secondary education

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shall report to the speaker of the house, the president of the senate, and the governor that such

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reviews or updates have been completed.

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     (b) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education and school committee

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shall make each city, town, or regional department school safety plan and school emergency

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response plan available for public comment at least thirty (30) days prior to its adoption. All

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meetings of school safety teams shall comply with the open meetings law pursuant to chapter 46

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of title 42.

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     (c) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education may grant a waiver of the

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requirements of §§ 16-21-23 and 16-21-24 to any city, town, or regional school department for

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period of up to two (2) years upon a finding by the commissioner that the town, city, or regional

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district had adopted a comprehensive school safety plan or school emergency response plans

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which are in substantial compliance with the requirements of §§ 16-21-23 and 16-21-24.

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Provided, however, no waiver shall extend beyond June 30, 2003.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02197/SUB A

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

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     This act would require school committees to annually review and update school safety

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and school emergency plans by November 1 of each year. The act would further require that by

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December 31 of each year, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education would

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report to the general assembly and to the governor that such reviews and/or updates have been

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completed. Such plans that are not deemed confidential pursuant to section 38-2-2 would be

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available for public comment.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02197/SUB A

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