Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education School Safety Plans topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee introduces housekeeping bill to clarify background checks and protect emergency plans from public disclosure
Summary
Representative Chris Mathias introduced RS32018 to clarify school safety code: to align background-check language, require emergency operation plans and training, and to exempt certain emergency plans from public records disclosure; the committee voted to introduce the bill for a full hearing.
Representative Chris Mathias, R.-District 19, presented RS32018 to the House Committee on Education on Jan. 23, describing the proposal as a technical cleanup aimed at making school safety rules clearer and more practical.
Mathias said the bill converts a single, loosely worded paragraph into three separate subsections to make requirements clearer. Key elements described by Mathias include requiring systems for background checks, ensuring each school has an operational emergency plan, and training new employees and annual training for school staff about emergency plans.
A notable addition in the RS would exempt certain emergency plans and training materials from automatic public‑records disclosure. "It would be helpful if we weren't forced to release what our emergency plans are," Mathias said, summarizing feedback from the Office of School Safety, the State Board, school resource officers and other stakeholders. He told the committee stakeholders generally supported the change to avoid turning safety plans into a public playbook for potential attackers.
Committee members raised questions about the scope and cost of expanded background checks. Representative Harris asked whether extending checks from those with "irregular contact" to "unsupervised contact" would increase costs; Mathias said stakeholders agreed the change was necessary and did not provide a marginal cost estimate but said the provision aligns with existing background‑check statute (chapter 83, title 18) and chapter language.
Representative Nelson moved to introduce RS32018; Representative Clough noted a typographical error in the statement of purpose that Mathias said he would correct before the public hearing. The committee voted by voice to introduce RS32018 for a full hearing.
Mathias provided a list of stakeholder groups that had contributed feedback, including the Office of School Safety, State Board of Education staff, the State Resource Officers Association, Idaho Education Association, Idaho Association of School Administrators, State PTA and State School Boards Association.
The RS was introduced for a public hearing where fiscal impacts, marginal costs of additional background checks and details about which emergency materials would be exempt from disclosure can be developed and tested with stakeholders.
