HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 591        FILED ON: 1/25/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 575

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Shawn Dooley

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing mandatory school lockdown drills in the Commonwealth.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Shawn Dooley

9th Norfolk

1/25/2021

Alyson M. Sullivan

7th Plymouth

2/26/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 591        FILED ON: 1/25/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 575

By Mr. Dooley of Norfolk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 575) of Shawn Dooley and Alyson M. Sullivan relative to establishing mandatory lockdown drills in public and private elementary and secondary schools.  Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 433 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act establishing mandatory school lockdown drills in the Commonwealth.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 38R the following section:-

Section 38S. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-

“School”, every public or private elementary and secondary school in the commonwealth; provided, however, that this shall not include colleges and universities.

(b) The principal, headmaster or other administrator of each school, in consultation with the local police department, shall establish critical incident response protocols for the school, including but not limited to protocols for active shooters and other critical incidents during: (i) lunch, assembly and class switching periods, and (ii) fire alarm activations.

(c) Each school shall conduct at least 2 lockdown drills and 1 safety briefing for students and staff each school year held at the school during the regular school day.

(d) The safety briefing held pursuant to subsection (c) shall be held within the first 2 weeks of the school year and shall educate students and staff on the school’s safety protocols established pursuant to subsection (b).

(e) One lockdown drill performed pursuant to subsection (c) shall be performed within the first month of the school year.

(f) If a school hosts summer school, the school shall conduct at least 1 lockdown drill and 1 safety briefing during the summer school session; provided, that this is in addition to the lockdown drill and safety briefings required during the regular school year pursuant to this section.