STATE HOUSE — Gov. Gina Raimondo today signed legislation introduced by Speaker of the House Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) and Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick) to examine the safety of Rhode Island’s schools and to ensure that school safety plans are adopted in each school department.

The law (2018-H 7694A, 2018-S 2639A) codifies the existence of the Rhode Island School Safety Committee into state law, and requires that school districts provide the committee with safety assessments every three years for review and recommendations.

The function of the 12-member School Safety Committee will be to provide training to law enforcement, school administrators and teachers; collect and review all hazard safety security assessments; and offer recommendations and assistance to each school district of every town, city, and regional school department in an effort to increase the safety of students and faculty.

The committee will include the following officials or their designees: the superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, who would serve as chairperson of the committee; the president of the Police Chiefs Association; the director of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency; the commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; a representative from the Rhode Island School Superintendents’ Association,; the director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals; the state fire marshal; a representative of the Rhode Island Association of School Maintenance Directors; a representative from the Rhode Island Association of School Principals; a representative from the Rhode Island Association of School Committees; a representative from the National Education Association of Rhode Island; and one representative from the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals.