Tri-Cities Senator Sponsors Bills To Increase School Security

A State Senator from Pasco has prefiled a pair of bills to address school safety concerns.  Sen. Nikki Torres (R 15th District) submitted Senate Bills 5003 and 5004 on Monday for the coming Legislative Session.  The bills take two different paths to get to a result that increases school security.

One tasks OSPI with the creation of a new program and the other calls for more resources in the schools themselves.  Here is what each bill would establish if passed:

SB 5003 Charges OSPI With Creating a New Grant Program

A school security and preparedness infrastructure grant would be created and would be available to all public school districts to cover the cost of things like:

• Entrance and door security including panic buttons
• Fencing
• Perimeter security infrastructure
• Projects that would funnel the public through as few entrances to the school as possible (e.g. main entrances and administration offices)
• Repair or upgrades of existing physical security infrastructure
• Infrastructure designed to assist with or expedite law enforcement response to a threat or emergency on school grounds
• Planning grants for improved security on campuses

Get our free mobile app

The bill also limits the amount of funds used for managing and administering the awarded grant to three percent.  OSPI will create an application process and schools with pressing security needs will be prioritized.  It also restricts school district from receiving more than $2 million every two years.  OSPI will also have to provide progress reports to the legislature regarding the amount of applications and grants, as well as the projects that were approved for funding.

SB 6004 Would Update Emergency Response Systems In Public Schools

This bill would amend RCW 28A.320.126 by replacing the language "school security personnel" with "safety and security staff".  The bigger impact is it strikes this entire piece out of the law:

School districts are encouraged to use the model policies developed by the school safety center in the office of the superintendent of public instruction as a resource.

It replaces it with a mandate that school districts must develop an emergency response system incorporating evolving technology to increase law enforcement response times.  it goes on to define elements of an emergency response systems as:

• Panic or alert buttons that are tied to administrators, staff, and first responders
• A live audio and video feed that law enforcement, the school district, and the school itself can access
• Remote control access to doors
• Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) would be charged with maintaining a connectable alert and communication system if the school district is not able to establish a live two-way communication system locally.

Each school district would be required to submit progress reports to OSPI by October 1, 2025 to be included in the agency's report to the legislature by December 1st, 2025.  The bills will need to get through the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee before it gets the floor for a potential vote.