Section 1A of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

The commissioner shall, in consultation with the commissioner of public safety, establish regional school safety councils to assist local districts in developing school safety plans. The school safety plans shall provide for actions that promote safe schools in the following areas: (1) school design and structural safety, (2) violence prevention, (3) man-made and natural hazards, and the effective prevention and mitigation of such hazards, and (4) district responses to emergencies within school districts.  The regional school safety councils shall include representatives from the departments of public safety, elementary and secondary education, mental health and the Massachusetts emergency management agency and shall be available to local districts before, during and after emergencies and shall provide technical assistance as appropriate for each emergency. Cost containment shall be considered by the regional school safety councils when developing the school safety plans and whenever possible the councils shall use existing protocols, personnel, and structures.