TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Members of Florida's House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously passed a series of updates to a school safety law originally passed after one of the worst mass shootings in the state's history.
The bill (HB 1421) extends the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission's oversight on implementing school safety measures until 2026. The commission was originally set to end in 2023. It also mandates that the Department of Education publish school safety data.
Schools will need to create a plan that will quickly reunify students with their parents if the school is unexpectedly closed or evacuated during a disaster, according to the bill. Schools safety officers will also be mandated to complete mental health crisis training.
Under the bill school districts will also need to certify that 80 percent of personnel completed a mandatory youth mental health awareness training by July 2023.
A similar bill (SB 802) is currently making its way through the Florida Senate.
