A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to ESTABLISH THAT SCHOOL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS APPLY TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CLARIFY THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CENTER FOR SAFER SCHOOLS, REQUIRE LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION TO REQUIRE PEER‑TO‑PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS AT ALL SCHOOLS WITH GRADES SIX AND HIGHER, REQUIRE REPORTING ON THE OPERATIONAL STATUS OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS DURING STATES OF EMERGENCY, DEFINE THE TERM "SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER" AND REQUIRE TRAINING FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, AND REQUIRE ANNUAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS FOR EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL SAFETY FOR ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 115C‑105.46, 115C‑105.47A, and 115C‑105.48 are codified into Part 1 of Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes, Local Plans for Alternative Schools/Alternative Learning Programs and Maintaining Safe and Orderly Schools. Part 1 shall be entitled "Local Plans for Alternative Schools/Alternative Learning Programs." The remaining sections of Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes shall be codified into Part 2, which shall be entitled "Maintaining Safe and Orderly Schools."
SECTION 1.(b)  G.S. 115C‑105.49 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑105.49.  School safety exercises.
(a)	At least once annually, each public school unit shall require each school under its control to hold a full school‑wide tabletop exercise and drill based on the procedures documented in its School Risk Management Plan (SRMP) and shall report the date and time the drill is conducted to the Center for Safer Schools. The drill shall include a practice school lockdown due to an intruder on school grounds. Each school is encouraged to hold a tabletop exercise and drill for multiple hazards included in its SRMP. Schools are strongly encouraged to include local law enforcement agencies and emergency management agencies in their tabletop exercises and drills. The purpose of the tabletop exercises and drills shall be to permit participants to (i) discuss simulated emergency situations in a low‑stress environment, (ii) clarify their roles and responsibilities and the overall logistics of dealing with an emergency, and (iii) identify areas in which the SRMP needs to be modified.
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(d)	The Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management, and the Center for Safer Schools shall provide guidance and recommendations to public school units on the types of multiple hazards to plan and respond to, including intruders on school grounds."
SECTION 1.(c)  G.S. 115C‑105.49A(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	In constructing the SRRMS, the Division of Emergency Management and the Center for Safer Schools shall leverage the existing enterprise risk management database, the School Risk Management Planning tool managed by the Division. The Division shall also leverage the public school unit and participating nonpublic school schematic diagrams of school facilities. Where technically feasible, the SRRMS shall integrate any anonymous tip lines established pursuant to G.S. 115C‑105.51 and any 911‑initiated panic alarm systems authorized as part of a SRMP pursuant to G.S. 115C‑47(40). The Division and the Center for Safer Schools shall collaborate with the Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina 911 Board in the design, implementation, and maintenance of the SRRMS."
SECTION 1.(d)  G.S. 115C‑105.52 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑105.52.  School crisis kits.
The Department of Public Instruction, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety through the North Carolina Center for Safer Schools, may develop and adopt policies on the placement of school crisis kits in schools and on the contents of those kits. The kits should include, at a minimum, basic first‑aid supplies, communications devices, and other items recommended by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
The principal of each school, in coordination with the law enforcement agencies that are part of the public school unit's School Risk Management Plan, may place one or more crisis kits at appropriate locations in the school."
SECTION 1.(e)  G.S. 115C‑105.53 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑105.53.  Schematic diagrams and emergency access to school buildings for local law enforcement agencies.
(a)	Each public school unit shall provide the following to local law enforcement agencies: (i) schematic diagrams, including digital schematic diagrams, and (ii) either keys to the main entrance of all school buildings or emergency access to key storage devices such as KNOX® boxes for all school buildings. Public school units shall provide updates of the schematic diagrams to local law enforcement agencies when substantial modifications such as new facilities or modifications to doors and windows are made to school buildings. Public school units shall also be responsible for providing local law enforcement agencies with updated access to school buildings when changes are made to the locks of the main entrances or to key storage devices such as KNOX® boxes.
(b)	The Department of Public Instruction, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety, shall develop standards and guidelines for the preparation and content of schematic diagrams and necessary updates. Public school units and participating nonpublic schools may use these standards and guidelines to assist in the preparation of their schematic diagrams.
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SECTION 1.(f)  G.S. 115C‑105.54(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Each public school unit shall provide the following to the Division of Emergency Management (Division) at the Department of Public Safety: (i) schematic diagrams, including digital schematic diagrams, and (ii) emergency response information requested by the Division for the School Risk Management Plan (SRMP). Public school units shall also provide updated schematic diagrams and emergency response information to the Division when such updates are made. The Division shall ensure that the diagrams and emergency response information are securely stored and distributed as provided in the SRMP to first responders, emergency personnel, and school personnel and approved by the Department of Public Instruction."
SECTION 1.(g)  G.S. 115C‑218.75(b), (d), and (e) are repealed.
SECTION 1.(h)  G.S. 115C‑218.75 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(g)	Each charter school shall comply with the applicable requirements of Part 2 of Article 8C of this Chapter."
SECTION 1.(i)  G.S. 115C‑238.66(7a), (7b), (7c), and (7d) are repealed.
SECTION 1.(j)  G.S. 115C‑238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(14)	Each regional school shall comply with the applicable requirements of Part 2 of Article 8C of this Chapter."
SECTION 1.(k)  G.S. 116‑239.8(b)(10), (11), (12), and (13) are repealed.
SECTION 1.(l)  G.S. 116‑239.8(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(17)	Laboratory schools shall comply with the applicable requirements of Part 2 of Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes."
SECTION 1.(m)  G.S. 115C‑75.9 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(h1)	School Safety. – Innovative schools shall comply with the applicable requirements of Part 2 of Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes."
SECTION 1.(n)  Article 9C of Chapter 115C is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C‑150.16.  School safety.
A school governed by this Article shall comply with the applicable requirements of Part 2 of Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes."
SECTION 1.(o)  Article 4 of Chapter 116 is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 116‑69.2.  School safety.
The school shall comply with the applicable requirements of Part 2 of Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes."
SECTION 1.(p)  G.S. 116‑235 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(j)	School Safety. – The school shall comply with the applicable requirements of Part 2 of Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes."
SECTION 1.(q)  G.S. 115C‑551 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑551.  Voluntary participation in the State programs.
(a)	Any private church school or school of religious charter may, on a voluntary basis, participate in any State operated or sponsored program which would otherwise be available to such school, including but not limited to the high school competency testing and statewide testing programs.
(b)	All private church schools and all schools of religious charter are encouraged to do the following:
(1)	School Risk Management Plan. – In coordination with local law enforcement agencies, adopt a School Risk Management Plan (SRMP) relating to incidents of school violence. In constructing and maintaining these plans, the school may utilize the School Risk and Response Management System (SRRMS) established pursuant to G.S. 115C‑105.49A. These plans are not considered a public record as the term "public record" is defined under G.S. 132‑1 and shall not be subject to inspection and examination under G.S. 132‑6.
(2)	Schematic diagrams and school crisis kits. – Provide schematic diagrams and keys to the main entrance of school facilities to local law enforcement agencies, in addition to implementing the provisions in G.S. 115C‑105.52.
(3)	School safety exercises. – At least once a year, hold a full school‑wide lockdown exercise with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies that are part of the private school's SRMP.
(4)	Safety information provided to the Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management. – Provide the following: (i) schematic diagrams, including digital schematic diagrams, and (ii) emergency response information requested by the Division for the SRMP. The schematic diagrams and emergency response information are not considered public records as the term "public record" is defined under G.S. 132‑1 and shall not be subject to inspection and examination under G.S. 132‑6."
SECTION 1.(r)  G.S. 115C‑559 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑559.  Voluntary participation in the State programs.
(a)	Any qualified nonpublic school may, on a voluntary basis, participate in any State operated or sponsored program which would otherwise be available to such school, including but not limited to the high school competency testing and statewide testing programs.
(b)	All qualified nonpublic schools are encouraged to do the following:
(1)	School Risk Management Plan. – In coordination with local law enforcement agencies, adopt a School Risk Management Plan (SRMP) relating to incidents of school violence. In constructing and maintaining these plans, the school may utilize the School Risk and Response Management System (SRRMS) established pursuant to G.S. 115C‑105.49A. These plans are not considered a public record as the term "public record" is defined under G.S. 132‑1 and shall not be subject to inspection and examination under G.S. 132‑6.
(2)	Schematic diagrams and school crisis kits. – Provide schematic diagrams and keys to the main entrance of school facilities to local law enforcement agencies, in addition to implementing the provisions in G.S. 115C‑105.52.
(3)	School safety exercises. – At least once a year, hold a full school‑wide lockdown exercise with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies that are part of the private school's SRMP.
(4)	Safety information provided to the Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management. – Provide the following: (i) schematic diagrams, including digital schematic diagrams, and (ii) emergency response information requested by the Division for the SRMP. The schematic diagrams and emergency response information are not considered public records as the term "public record" is defined under G.S. 132‑1 and shall not be subject to inspection and examination under G.S. 132‑6."
SECTION 1.(s)  This section is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2019‑2020 school year.

Part II. CLARIFY THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CENTER FOR SAFER SCHOOLS
SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 115C‑105.57 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑105.57.  Center for Safer Schools.
(a)	Center for Safer Schools Established. – There is established the Center for Safer Schools. The Center for Safer Schools shall be administratively located in the Department of Public Instruction. The Center for Safer Schools shall consist of an Executive Director appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and such other professional, administrative, technical, and clerical personnel as may be necessary to assist the Center for Safer Schools in carrying out its powers and duties.
(b)	Executive Director. – The Executive Director shall report to and serve at the pleasure of the Superintendent of Public Instruction at a salary established by the Superintendent within the funds appropriated for this purpose.
(c)	Powers and Duties. – The Center for Safer Schools shall have the following duties and all other powers and duties provided in this Article:
(1)	Serve as a resource and referral center for the State by conducting research, sponsoring workshops, and providing information regarding current school safety concerns.
(2)	Provide training and professional development for public school personnel in the development and implementation of initiatives promoting school safety, including ensuring school personnel know how to properly engage school resource officers.
(3)	Maintain and disseminate information to public schools on effective school safety initiatives in North Carolina and across the nation, including proper engagement of school resource officer by school personnel.
(4)	Collect, analyze, and disseminate various North Carolina school safety data.
(5)	Provide technical and instructional assistance to facilitate the development of partnerships between the public and private sectors to promote school safety in North Carolina.
(6)	Recommend a system of accountability to the General Assembly to document school safety exercises, including practice school lockdowns, required by G.S. 115C‑105.49.
(7)	Assist law enforcement officers assigned to schools and their agencies in active shooter response drills and other pertinent school safety‑related training.
(8)	Collaborate with the North Carolina Justice Academy, the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission, and the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission to establish and maintain updated training curriculum for school resource officers.
(9)	Coordinate grants for school resource officers in elementary and middle schools and ensure that training requirements for school resource officers funded by those grants are met.
(10)	Provide technical assistance to public school units in the development and implementation of initiatives promoting school safety.
(d)	Agency Cooperation. – All State agencies and departments shall cooperate with the Center for Safer Schools in carrying out its powers and duties, as necessary, in accordance with this Article. The Center of Safer Schools shall coordinate, collaborate, and seek information as necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities from State and local government agencies, who shall provide information upon request to the Center. These agencies include the following:
(1)	Department of Public Safety.
(2)	Department of Health and Human Services.
(3)	Department of Public Instruction.
(4)	North Carolina Justice Academy.
(5)	Governor's Crime Commission.
(6)	State Bureau of Investigation Fusion Center, Information Sharing, and Analysis Center.
(7)	Governing bodies of public school units.
(8)	Local law enforcement agencies.
(e)	Task Force Guidance. – The Center of Safer Schools shall receive guidance and advice from the Task Force for Safer Schools."
SECTION 2.(b)  This section is effective when it becomes law.

PART III. STATE OF EMERGENCY operational status reporting
SECTION 3.(a)  Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C‑105.50.  State of emergency operational reports.
(a)	For purposes of this section, the term "countywide state of emergency" means a state of emergency with a defined area covering the entirety of the jurisdiction of a county declared by any of the following:
(1)	The President of the United States, under the Stafford Act (P.L. 93‑288).
(2)	The General Assembly, under G.S. 166A‑19.20.
(3)	The Governor, under G.S. 166A‑19.20.
(4)	The governing body of a county, under G.S. 166A‑19.22.
(b)	In the event of a countywide state of emergency, each public school unit in the county under the state of emergency shall report the operational status of all schools in the unit's jurisdiction to the local board of county commissioners or designee as long as the countywide state of emergency is in place."
SECTION 3.(b)  This section is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2019‑2020 school year.

PART IV. SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER DEFINED/TRAINING STANDARDS/REPORTS
SECTION 4.(a)  Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C‑105.70.  School resource officer.
(a)	A school resource officer is any law enforcement officer assigned to one or more public schools within a public school unit, at least 20 hours per week, to assist with all of the following, consistent with any written memorandum of understanding between the public school unit and the law enforcement agency governing the school resource officer:
(1)	School safety.
(2)	School security.
(3)	Emergency preparedness.
(4)	Emergency response.
(5)	Any additional responsibilities related to school safety or security assigned by the officer's employer while the officer is acting as a school resource officer.
(b)	All school resource officers must comply with any continuing education training requirements, as established by subsection (c) of this section. A law enforcement officer who did not serve as a school resource officer during the 2019‑2020 school year shall also complete the initial training as established by subsection (c) of this section.
(c)	The North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission and the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission, in collaboration with the Center for Safer Schools and the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse, shall establish initial training and continuing education standards for school resource officers. These standards shall, at a minimum, include training on the following topics: mental health, students with disabilities, racial equity, and crisis intervention and de‑escalation."
SECTION 4.(b)  G.S. 17C‑6(a) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(19)	Establish initial training and continuing education training standards for school resource officers, as set forth in G.S. 115C‑105.70."
SECTION 4.(c)  G.S. 17E‑4(a) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(17)	Establish initial training and continuing education training standards for school resource officers, as set forth in G.S. 115C‑105.70."
SECTION 4.(d)  The North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission and the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission, in collaboration with the Center for Safer Schools and the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse, shall establish initial training standards for school resource officers no later than January 15, 2020.
SECTION 4.(e)  Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C‑105.71.  School resource officer reports.
(a)	Each public school unit shall report by September 15, 2019, and annually thereafter, in writing to the Center for Safer Schools the number of school resource officers and the placement of each school resource officer in the public school unit. This report shall include the source of funding and method of employment for each school resource officer position.
(b)	The Center for Safer Schools shall report by November 15, 2019, and annually thereafter, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee an executive summary and the disaggregated data for each public school unit regarding the information reported by public school units pursuant to subsection (a) of this section."
SECTION 4.(f)  Subsection (a) of this section is effective when it becomes law and applies to school resource officers employed beginning with the 2020‑2021 school year. The remainder of this section is effective when it becomes law.

PART V. SCHOOL BUILDING VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
SECTION 5.(a)  Article 8C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C‑105.52A.  Facility vulnerability assessments.
(a)	At least once annually, each governing body of a public school unit shall require each school under its control to complete a facility vulnerability assessment for each school building.
(b)	The Center for Safer Schools, in collaboration with the Department of Public Instruction, Division of School Operations, shall develop a facility vulnerability assessment tool. This tool shall be in the form of a checklist designed to assess the potential vulnerabilities arising from day‑to‑day policies and procedures in the operation of school buildings. This tool shall be used by public school units when completing a facility vulnerability assessment.
(c)	No governing body of a public school unit, nor its members, employees, designees, agents, or volunteers, shall be liable in civil damages to any party for any loss or damage caused by any act or omission relating to the participation in or implementation of a facility vulnerability assessment required by this section, unless that act or omission amounts to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing. Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose any specific duty of care or standard of care."
SECTION 5.(b)  G.S. 115C‑105.49A(b), as amended by Section 1(c) of this act, reads as rewritten:
"(b)	In constructing the SRRMS, the Division of Emergency Management and the Center for Safer Schools shall leverage the existing enterprise risk management database, the School Risk Management Planning tool managed by the Division. The Division shall also leverage the public school unit and participating nonpublic school schematic diagrams of school facilities. Where technically feasible, the SRRMS shall integrate any anonymous tip lines established pursuant to G.S. 115C‑105.51 and any 911‑initiated panic alarm systems authorized as part of a SRMP pursuant to G.S. 115C‑47(40). Where technically feasible, the SRRMS shall integrate any facility vulnerability assessments as part of an SRMP pursuant to G.S. 115C‑105.52A. The Division and the Center for Safer Schools shall collaborate with the Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina 911 Board in the design, implementation, and maintenance of the SRRMS."
SECTION 5.(c)  This section is effective when it becomes law. The Center for Safer Schools and the Department of Public Instruction shall develop the facility vulnerability assessment tool by January 15, 2020. Each governing body of a public school unit shall require each school under its control to complete a facility vulnerability assessment for each school building before the end of the 2019‑2020 school year and annually thereafter.

PART VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 6.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.