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Sen. Patty Kim says Senate amended weapon-alert bill to add bullying; lawmakers call for red-flag measures and continued funding
Summary
Sen. Patty Kim told the Keystone Education Report the Senate passed Senate Bill 246, which she amended to require notification of bullying as well as weapon incidents; she and Rep. John Schlegel urged continued funding and support for school safety programs and said extreme-risk 'red flag' orders deserve attention.
Senator Patty Kim, who represents Pennsylvania's 15th District, said the Senate "passed pretty much bipartisan, unanimously almost, Senate Bill 246," and that she amended the measure so parents and school officials would be notified about bullying as well as incidents involving weapons. "More information is gonna be helpful," Kim said, arguing that better communication helps parents and administrators respond earlier.
Representative John Schlegel, who said he previously worked as a principal, described new school procedures now common at the start of the school year — single secure entry points, locked classrooms and trained resource officers. Schlegel said many districts have trained resource officers who, after completing required training, sometimes are authorized to carry a firearm. He framed communication with families as central: parents should know safety procedures and have two-way channels to raise concerns.
Kim also urged consideration of an "extreme risk protection order," commonly called a red-flag law, for situations in which a student shows signs of mental distress and there is an available firearm in the home. "If there's a student that shows signs of mental distress... if there's a gun in the house, they need to take that away temporarily by a judge's order," she said, describing the step as a temporary measure to protect students while they get help.
When asked about funding, Schlegel pointed to recent state education contributions and safety investments, noting the scale of state support: "last year, the state contributed $18,000,000,000 to public education, to 1,700,000 students" and that more than $100,000,000 was provided "to promote school safety," he said. Both lawmakers emphasized ongoing review of best practices rather than one-time spending.
The interview was a discussion rather than a legislative hearing; Kim described the bill's progress and her amendments in the interview but did not announce a new vote schedule. The lawmakers urged ongoing communication among parents, districts and state agencies as schools reopen.
