Committee advances school-safety bill to require mobile rapid-response systems in schools

The Ways and Means Education committee on Thursday voted to give a favorable report, as amended, to House Bill 234, a school-safety measure that would require local boards of education to adopt policies enabling specified employees to carry or possess mobile emergency rapid-response systems by Oct. 1, 2030.

Supporters said the bill is intended to give school staff a rapid way to summon help during emergencies and to let local districts choose the technology that best fits their campuses. "This is a school safety bill," sponsor Representative Alan Baker said. "There are a number of schools that do already have this in place." Baker told the committee the bill initially focused on wearable button devices but was amended to also allow phone-based applications.

The bill would direct local boards to add use and equipment of these systems to local emergency plans and would require training for…