House of Representatives

SB 1067

safe schools act; revisions

Sponsors: Senators Petersen, Cummiskey

 

DP

Committee on Education

DP

Committee on Judiciary

DP

Caucus and COW

DP

Third Read

 

DP

As Passed the House

X

As Transmitted to the Governor
 

SB 1067 expands and makes technical and conforming changes to the statutes relating to the disruption and interference of an educational institution.

 

History

The Safety Answers for Education Commission (SAFE Commission) was created in 1999 as an 18-member panel comprised of teachers, parents, students, law enforcement, health professionals, experts in adolescent behavior and others to examine strategies for reducing the risk of school violence statewide.  Laws 2000, Chapter 226, addressed several of the SAFE Commission recommendations including the expansion of the crime of interference with or disruption of an educational institution and the requirement that school district governing boards report certain suspected crimes to law enforcement.

During the 2001 interim, members of law enforcement, school representatives and others participating on a SAFE Commission workgroup recommended statutory improvements to the SAFE Commission.  The SAFE Commission heard testimony regarding the crime of interference with or disruption of an educational institution and the belief of some people that juveniles are now facing felony charges for what those people believe to be less dangerous conduct.

Provisions

·          Clarifies that an interference or disruption of an educational institution must be intentional.

·          Includes threats to students and persons of an educational institution or property of the educational institution, employee or student of the institution.

·          Amends the term interference with or disruption of to include any act that might reasonably lead to the evacuation or closure of any property of the educational institution or postponement, cancellation or suspension of any class or other school activity. 

·          Adds chemical or combination of chemicals, compounds or materials, including dry ice, that are placed in a sealed or unsealed container for the purpose of generating a gas to cause a mechanical failure, rupture or bursting of the container to the definition of prohibited weapons.

·          Amends the current reporting requirements of any suspected crime to state that the governing board must report any suspected crime to local law enforcement agencies if any of the following apply:

·          A suspected crime is against a person or the property is a serious offense.

·          Involves a weapon, dangerous instrument or serious physical injury.

·          Any conduct that poses a threat of death or serious injury to employees, students or anyone on the property of the school.

·          Clarifies that dangerous instrument, deadly weapon, and serious physical injury have the same meaning as found in Title 13 (criminal code).

·          Clarifies that school districts are not limited to reporting only suspected crimes to local law enforcement agencies.

·          Makes technical and conforming changes.

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·          45th Legislature                 

·          Second Regular Session      2          May 3, 2002

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