Amendment #1315 to H4400

An Amendment relative to school security infrastructure and MSBA grant programming

Mr. Hunt of Sandwich moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

“SECTION XX. (a) The Massachusetts School Building Authority, established by section 1A of chapter 70B of the General Laws, shall conduct a study relative to school safety and security infrastructure for the purpose of establishing standards for school safety and security maintenance projects. The authority shall conduct the study in coordination with the executive office of education, executive office of public safety and security, and the executive office of health and human services. As part of the study, the authority shall examine the recommendations of the school safety and security task force created by Executive Order No. 548 issued January 16, 2014. The authority shall file its report on the results of the study, together with drafts of legislation and regulations necessary to carry its recommendations into effect, with the house and senate chairs of the committees on ways and means, the chairs of the joint committee on education, and the chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security on or before December 3, 2018.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the authority shall establish a school security infrastructure grant program for the sole purpose of allowing cities, towns, and regional school districts to enhance safety and security at their school facilities; provided, that this program shall be subject to appropriation; provided further, that grant funds shall not be expended to fund projects eligible under existing grant programs operated by the authority; provided further, that funds may be expended to retrofit buildings with security features such as classroom door locks and security cameras; provided further, that the authority shall submit a report outlining appropriations necessary to operate this grant program to the governor and the house and senate chairs of the committees on ways and means on or before December 3, 2018.”

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #1315 to H4400

An Amendment relative to school security infrastructure and MSBA grant programming