State legislators are considering a bill that would require school districts to set up safety plans aimed at preventing school shootings.
The Senate’s Education Finance Committee discussed the bill this week. It would require the state to write a model policy, which schools would then adapt.
One of the bill’s co-authors, Sen. Bonnie Westlin, DFL-Plymouth, said it’s a way to help schools plan for emergencies.
“These are issues that districts struggle with, and to be able to provide them with a resource that will be helpful to them, in order to keep our school safe for our kids, is an important thing,” Westlin said.
If it passes, the Department of Public Safety’s School Safety Center will draft the model policy. The bill calls for the center to get input from a new advisory council made up of students, parents, licensed mental health professionals and public safety professionals. Authors of the bill say that will help draft an “evidence-based” policy backed by research on school safety.
The state center would have a deadline in September of this year to publish the model policy. School boards would then have until May 2028 to submit their own versions of the policy.
Alexandra Fitzsimmons, the senior policy director with Children's Defense Fund Minnesota, told the Senate committee these policies will help keep kids safe – and help them learn.
“The threat of violence can increase anxiety, depression and long-term health challenges, but the research also shows something hopeful: violence is preventable when we focus on early intervention and supportive environments,” Fitzsimmons said.
Westlin said the bill has bipartisan support in the House and the Senate. But some legislators and speakers said they’re worried drafting these policies could become an added burden for schools.
Rick Kaufman — executive director of community relations and emergency management at Bloomington Public Schools — told the committee the bill could strengthen schools’ safety systems, but he said he’s worried the state approval process will dampen schools’ current collaborations with local public safety officials in their emergency response plans.
“Districts still lack clarity about what the state will ultimately require,” Kaufman said.
Legislators also asked how much it would cost. Westlin said authors expect to ask for money for the project but haven’t attached a dollar amount yet.
Sen. Michael Holmstrom, R-Buffalo, said he wants to make sure the requirement doesn’t become a financial burden for schools.
“I hope we can get enough there to make it practical,” Holmstrom said.
The Senate’s Education Finance Committee passed the bill on to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.