There shall be a special commission to review and make recommendations to improve methods of coordination of school safety for students and staff of our public schools. The commission shall consist of the House and Senate Chairs of the Joint Committee on Education, Joint Committee on Public Safety, and Joint Committee on Mental Health; the ranking member, as designated by the house and senate minority leaders, of said joint committees; an appointee of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; an appointee of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security; and an appointee of the Department of Mental Health. The speaker of the house and senate president shall determine which 2 members of the commission shall serve as co-chairpersons.

The commission shall make recommendations to local school districts in which local school committees can develop and define a policy for school safety and security as recommended by the school superintendent to the school committee. Said policy should be presented to the school committee and formally adopted and be distributed to administrators for implementation prior to the opening of schools each year. To the extent necessary and available, local school budget funding for proper security equipment and coverage should be included in city or town school district budgets.

The commission shall develop recommendations for an emergency student and staff security funding program that will be established and administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education setting up the timelines, priorities and deadlines for applications with special attention to specific essential safety equipment for students and staff. The commission shall also seek to identify opportunities to maximize revenues, such as federal grants and matching funds.

The commission may hold hearings and invite testimony from experts and the public.  The commission shall review and identify best practices learned from similar efforts in other states.

Members of the commission shall be named and the commission shall commence its work within 60 days of the effective date of this act.  The commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study, and recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives on or before January 15, 2014.  The clerks of the house and senate shall make the report available to the public through the internet.