Indianapolis, in. — With the recent school shootings across the country, one of which occurred in Noblesville, the need to protect our children is front of mind for Hoosiers. These events have led to many conversations at the Statehouse about how we can further improve school safety. Building on our already nationally-recognized school safety policies and programs, the Indiana General Assembly recently dedicated more resources and updated procedures as part of a statewide effort.
Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals is a crucial preventative step for school safety. Indiana’s “Red Flag Law” empowers law enforcement, with or without a warrant, to seize firearms if individuals are a danger to themselves or to others. However, all seizures must be reviewed by a court within 14 days to ensure due process. The law was named in honor of fallen Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officer Jake Laird after he was shot in the line of duty by a man suffering from mental illness. Since its enactment, hundreds of firearms have been removed from dangerous and suicidal persons. Before recent school shootings like the one in Parkland, Florida, Indiana was one of only five states that had a red flag law. That number has now doubled.
A new law that I supported opens up $35 million in low-interest loans and adds another $5 million to the Indiana Secured School Safety Grant Fund, which is administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. This adds to the $45 million already allocated to this matching grant program for local schools. Another state program, Safe Haven Schools, has received $12.6 million since 2011 to provide training and grants. Together, these funding commitments have empowered Hoosier schools to conduct safety audits, train their staff, hire resource officers and install security equipment.
In multiple school shooting incidents, the shooter pulled a fire alarm to draw students into the hallways. A new law I authored, with the help of the state fire marshal, will update fire alarm evacuation protocols. To dissuade copycat attacks, my legislation modifies how teachers respond to an unplanned fire alarm and allows them to barricade or block a door for up to three minutes while the fire alarm is investigated by a designated school official.
Students, educators and parents deserve a safe learning environment and peace of mind. Indiana has and will continue to invest in the safety of our students, faculty and administrators. This ongoing effort will always be one of my top priorities. If you have any questions or concerns about current Indiana laws or recently passed legislation, you can contact me at [email protected] or 317-234-3827.
