Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB07356 Compare Versions

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7-General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7356
5+General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7356
86 January Session, 2019
7+LCO No. 5961
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10+Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
11+
12+
13+Introduced by:
14+(ED)
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1419 AN ACT CONCERNING SC HOOL SECURITY.
1520 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
1621 Assembly convened:
1722
18-Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force 1
19-to study issues concerning the employment of school security officers 2
20-who are in possession of a firearm while on duty in public elementary, 3
21-middle and high schools. Such study shall include, but not be limited 4
22-to, an analysis of (1) whether school security officers should be 5
23-authorized to carry a firearm while on duty in a public school, (2) who 6
24-should be responsible for conducting criminal history records checks 7
25-of school security officers, and (3) who should be responsible for 8
26-supervising school security officers. For purposes of this section, 9
27-"school security officer" means a person who is employed by or has 10
28-entered into an agreement, as described in subdivision (2) of 11
29-subsection (b) of section 53a-217b of the general statutes, with a local 12
30-or regional board of education to provide school security services, and 13
31-who is not a school resource officer, as defined in section 10-233m of 14
32-the general statutes. 15
33-(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 16
34-(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 17
35-one of whom shall be a representative of the Connecticut Education 18
36-Association and one of whom shall be a member of the General 19 Substitute Bill No. 7356
23+Section 1. Section 84 of public act 13-3, as amended by section 15 of 1
24+public act 13-122, section 191 of public act 13-247, section 73 of public 2
25+act 14-98, section 1 of public act 15-5, section 1 of public act 16-171, 3
26+section 1 of public act 17-68 and section 490 of public act 17-2 of the 4
27+June special session, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 5
28+thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 6
29+(a) The Departments of Emergency Services and Public Protection, 7
30+Administrative Services and Education shall jointly administer a 8
31+school security infrastructure competitive grant program to reimburse 9
32+a (1) town, (2) regional educational service center, (3) the governing 10
33+authority for a state charter school, (4) the Department of Education on 11
34+behalf of the technical high school system, (5) an incorporated or 12
35+endowed high school or academy approved by the State Board of 13
36+Education pursuant to section 10-34 of the general statutes, [and] (6) 14
37+the supervisory agent for a nonpublic school, [including] and (7) a 15
38+licensed child care center or preschool that has received threats, for 16 Raised Bill No. 7356
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43-Assembly; 20
44-(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one 21
45-of whom shall be a representative of the American Federation of 22
46-Teachers-Connecticut and one of whom shall be a member of the 23
47-General Assembly; 24
48-(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 25
49-Representatives, who is a school resource officer; 26
50-(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who is a 27
51-representative of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education; 28
52-(5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 29
53-Representatives, one of whom shall be the chief of police of a 30
54-municipality and one of whom shall be a member of the General 31
55-Assembly; 32
56-(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of 33
57-whom shall be a school security officer and one of whom shall be a 34
58-member of the General Assembly; 35
59-(7) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, 36
60-or the commissioner's designee; and 37
61-(8) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee. 38
62-(c) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than 39
63-thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be 40
64-filled by the appointing authority. 41
65-(d) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president 42
66-pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force 43
67-from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall 44
68-schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not 45
69-later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. 46
70-(e) Not later than January 1, 2020, the task force shall submit a 47 Substitute Bill No. 7356
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44+certain expenses for schools incurred on or after January 1, 2013, for: 17
45+[(1)] (A) The development or improvement of the security 18
46+infrastructure of schools, centers or preschools based on the results of 19
47+school, building or child care center building security assessments 20
48+pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, including, but not limited to, 21
49+the installation of surveillance cameras, penetration resistant 22
50+vestibules, ballistic glass, solid core doors, doors that can be locked 23
51+from inside the classroom, double door access, computer-controlled 24
52+electronic locks, entry door buzzer systems, scan card systems, panic 25
53+alarms, real time interoperable communications and multimedia 26
54+sharing infrastructure or other systems; and [(2) (A)] (B) (i) the training 27
55+of school personnel in the operation and maintenance of the security 28
56+infrastructure of school buildings, [or (B)] (ii) the purchase of portable 29
57+entrance security devices, including, but not limited to, metal detector 30
58+wands and screening machines and related training, or (iii) the 31
59+employment of persons to provide security services in a school 32
60+building pursuant to section 10-244a of the general statutes. 33
61+(b) (1) On and after April 4, 2013, each local and regional board of 34
62+education may, on behalf of its town or its member towns, apply, at 35
63+such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Emergency 36
64+Services and Public Protection prescribes, to the Department of 37
65+Emergency Services and Public Protection for a grant for certain 38
66+expenses for schools under the jurisdiction of such board of education 39
67+incurred on or after January 1, 2013, for the purposes described in 40
68+subsection (a) of this section. Prior to the date that the School Safety 41
69+Infrastructure Council makes its initial submission of the school safety 42
70+infrastructure standards, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-292r 43
71+of the general statutes, the Commissioner of Emergency Services and 44
72+Public Protection, in consultation with the Commissioners of 45
73+Administrative Services and Education, shall determine which 46
74+expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the program. On and 47
75+after the date that the School Safety Infrastructure Council submits the 48
76+school safety infrastructure standards, the decision to approve or deny 49
77+an application and the determination of which expenses are eligible for 50 Raised Bill No. 7356
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77-report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing 48
78-committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 49
79-relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-50
80-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date 51
81-that it submits such report or January 1, 2020, whichever is later. 52
82-Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) The School Safety Infrastructure 53
83-Council, established pursuant to section 10-292r of the general statutes, 54
84-shall conduct a study to determine whether classroom doors that can 55
85-be locked from the inside and outside of the classroom should be 56
86-included in school safety infrastructure criteria, developed pursuant to 57
87-subsection (b) of section 10-292r of the general statutes. Not later than 58
88-January 1, 2020, the council shall submit a report on its findings and 59
89-recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General 60
90-Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in 61
91-accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 62
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83+reimbursement under the program shall be in accordance with the 51
84+most recent submission of the school safety infrastructure standards, 52
85+pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-292r of the general statutes. 53
86+(2) A regional educational service center may apply, at such time 54
87+and in such manner as the Commissioner of Emergency Services and 55
88+Public Protection prescribes, to the Department of Emergency Services 56
89+and Public Protection for a grant for certain expenses for schools under 57
90+the jurisdiction of such regional educational service center incurred on 58
91+or after January 1, 2013, for the purposes described in subsection (a) of 59
92+this section. The department shall decide whether to approve or deny 60
93+an application and which expenses are eligible for reimbursement 61
94+under the program. Such decisions shall be in accordance with the 62
95+school safety infrastructure standards developed pursuant to 63
96+subsection (c) of section 10-292r of the general statutes. 64
97+(3) The governing authority for a state charter school may apply, at 65
98+such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Emergency 66
99+Services and Public Protection prescribes, to the Department of 67
100+Emergency Services and Public Protection for a grant for certain 68
101+expenses for schools under the jurisdiction of such governing authority 69
102+incurred on or after January 1, 2013, for the purposes described in 70
103+subsection (a) of this section. The department shall decide whether to 71
104+approve or deny an application and which expenses are eligible for 72
105+reimbursement under the program. Such decisions shall be in 73
106+accordance with the school safety infrastructure standards developed 74
107+pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-292r of the general statutes. 75
108+(4) The superintendent of the technical high school system may 76
109+apply, at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of 77
110+Emergency Services and Public Protection prescribes, to the 78
111+Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection for a grant 79
112+for certain expenses for schools in the technical high school system 80
113+incurred on or after January 1, 2013, for the purposes described in 81
114+subsection (a) of this section. The department shall decide whether to 82
115+approve or deny an application and which expenses are eligible for 83 Raised Bill No. 7356
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121+reimbursement under the program. Such decisions shall be in 84
122+accordance with the school safety infrastructure standards developed 85
123+pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-292r of the general statutes. 86
124+(5) An incorporated or endowed high school or academy may 87
125+apply, at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of 88
126+Emergency Services and Public Protection prescribes, to the 89
127+Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection for a grant 90
128+for certain expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2013, for the 91
129+purposes described in subsection (a) of this section. The department 92
130+shall decide whether to approve or deny an application and which 93
131+expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the program. Such 94
132+decisions shall be in accordance with the school safety infrastructure 95
133+standards developed pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-292r of 96
134+the general statutes. 97
135+(6) (A) The supervisory agent for a nonpublic school may apply, at 98
136+such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Emergency 99
137+Services and Public Protection prescribes, to the Department of 100
138+Emergency Services and Public Protection for a grant for certain 101
139+expenses for schools under the jurisdiction of such supervisory agent 102
140+incurred on or after January 1, 2013, for the purposes described in 103
141+subsection (a) of this section. The department shall decide whether to 104
142+approve or deny an application and which expenses are eligible for 105
143+reimbursement under the program. Such decisions shall be in 106
144+accordance with the school safety infrastructure standards developed 107
145+pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-292r of the general statutes. 108
146+(B) Ten per cent of the funds available under the program shall be 109
147+awarded to the supervisory agents of nonpublic schools, in accordance 110
148+with the provisions of subdivision (6) of subsection (c) of this section. 111
149+(c) (1) A town may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its 112
150+eligible expenses. The percentage shall be determined as follows: (A) 113
151+Each town shall be ranked in descending order from one to one 114
152+hundred sixty-nine according to town wealth, as defined in 115 Raised Bill No. 7356
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158+subdivision (26) of section 10-262f of the general statutes, (B) based 116
159+upon such ranking, a percentage of not less than twenty or more than 117
160+eighty shall be assigned to each town on a continuous scale, and (C) 118
161+the town ranked first shall be assigned a percentage of twenty and the 119
162+town ranked last shall be assigned a percentage of eighty. 120
163+(2) A regional educational service center may receive a grant equal 121
164+to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be 122
165+determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined by (A) 123
166+multiplying the population of each member town in the regional 124
167+educational service center by such town's ranking, as determined in 125
168+subsection (a) of section 10-285a of the general statutes; (B) adding 126
169+together the figures for each town determined under subparagraph (A) 127
170+of this subdivision; and (C) dividing the total computed under 128
171+subparagraph (B) of this subdivision by the total population of all 129
172+member towns in the regional educational service center. The ranking 130
173+of each regional educational service center shall be rounded to the next 131
174+higher whole number and each such center shall receive the same 132
175+reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank. 133
176+(3) The governing authority for a state charter school may receive a 134
177+grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses that is the same as 135
178+the town in which such state charter school is located, as calculated 136
179+pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. 137
180+(4) The Department of Education, on behalf of the technical high 138
181+school system, may receive a grant equal to one hundred per cent of its 139
182+eligible expenses. 140
183+(5) An incorporated or endowed high school or academy may 141
184+receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The 142
185+percentage shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be 143
186+determined by (A) multiplying the total population, as defined in 144
187+section 10-261 of the general statutes, of each town which at the time of 145
188+application for such school security infrastructure competitive grant 146
189+has designated such school as the high school for such town for a 147 Raised Bill No. 7356
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195+period of not less than five years from the date of such application, by 148
196+such town's percentile ranking, as determined in subsection (a) of 149
197+section 10-285a of the general statutes, (B) adding together the figures 150
198+for each town determined under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, 151
199+and (C) dividing the total computed under subparagraph (B) of this 152
200+subdivision by the total population of all towns which designate the 153
201+school as their high school under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision. 154
202+The ranking determined pursuant to this subsection shall be rounded 155
203+to the next higher whole number. Such incorporated or endowed high 156
204+school or academy shall receive the reimbursement percentage of a 157
205+town with the same rank. 158
206+(6) The supervisory agent for a nonpublic school may receive a 159
207+grant equal to fifty per cent of its eligible expenses. 160
208+(d) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, if there are not 161
209+sufficient funds to provide grants to all towns, based on the percentage 162
210+determined pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the 163
211+Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in 164
212+consultation with the Commissioners of Administrative Services and 165
213+Education, shall give priority to applicants on behalf of schools with 166
214+the greatest need for security infrastructure, as determined by said 167
215+commissioners based on school building security assessments of the 168
216+schools under the jurisdiction of the town's school district conducted 169
217+pursuant to this subdivision. Of the applicants on behalf of such 170
218+schools with the greatest need for security infrastructure, said 171
219+commissioners shall give first priority to applicants on behalf of 172
220+schools that have no security infrastructure at the time of such school 173
221+building security assessment and succeeding priority to applicants on 174
222+behalf of schools located in priority school districts pursuant to section 175
223+10-266p of the general statutes. To be eligible for reimbursement 176
224+pursuant to this section, an applicant board of education shall (A) 177
225+demonstrate that it has developed and periodically practices an 178
226+emergency plan at the schools under its jurisdiction and that such plan 179
227+has been developed in concert with applicable state or local first-180
228+responders, and (B) provide for a uniform assessment of the schools 181 Raised Bill No. 7356
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234+under its jurisdiction, including any security infrastructure, using the 182
235+National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities' Safe Schools 183
236+Facilities Checklist. The assessment shall be conducted under the 184
237+supervision of the local law enforcement agency. 185
238+(2) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2015, to June 30, [2018] 2019, 186
239+inclusive, if there are not sufficient funds to provide grants to all 187
240+applicants that are towns, regional educational service centers, 188
241+governing authorities for state charter schools, the Department of 189
242+Education, on behalf of the technical high school system, and 190
243+incorporated or endowed high schools or academies based on the 191
244+percentage determined pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the 192
245+Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in 193
246+consultation with the Commissioners of Administrative Services and 194
247+Education, shall give priority to applicants on behalf of schools with 195
248+the greatest need for security infrastructure, as determined by said 196
249+commissioners based on school building security assessments of the 197
250+schools under the jurisdiction of the applicant conducted pursuant to 198
251+this subdivision. Of the applicants on behalf of such schools with the 199
252+greatest need for security infrastructure, said commissioners shall give 200
253+first priority to applicants on behalf of schools that have no security 201
254+infrastructure at the time of such school building security assessment 202
255+and succeeding priority to applicants on behalf of schools located in 203
256+priority school districts pursuant to section 10-266p of the general 204
257+statutes. To be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to this section, an 205
258+applicant shall (A) demonstrate that it has developed and periodically 206
259+practices an emergency plan at the schools under its jurisdiction and 207
260+that such plan has been developed in concert with applicable state or 208
261+local first-responders, and (B) provide for a uniform assessment of the 209
262+schools under its jurisdiction, including any security infrastructure, 210
263+using the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities' Safe 211
264+Schools Facilities Checklist. The assessment shall be conducted under 212
265+the supervision of the local law enforcement agency. 213
266+(3) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2015, to June 30, [2018] 2019, 214
267+inclusive, if there are not sufficient funds to provide grants to all 215 Raised Bill No. 7356
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273+applicant supervisory agents for nonpublic schools, based on the 216
274+percentages described in subsection (c) of this section, the 217
275+Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in 218
276+consultation with the Commissioners of Administrative Services and 219
277+Education, shall give priority to applicants on behalf of schools with 220
278+the greatest need for security infrastructure, as determined by said 221
279+commissioners. Of the applicants on behalf of such schools with the 222
280+greatest need for security infrastructure, said commissioners shall give 223
281+first priority to applicants on behalf of schools that have no security 224
282+infrastructure at the time of application. To be eligible for 225
283+reimbursement pursuant to this section, an applicant supervisory 226
284+agent for a nonpublic school shall (A) demonstrate that it has 227
285+developed and periodically practices an emergency plan at the school 228
286+under its jurisdiction and that such plan has been developed in concert 229
287+with applicable state or local first-responders, and (B) provide for a 230
288+uniform assessment of the schools under its jurisdiction, including any 231
289+security infrastructure, using the National Clearinghouse for 232
290+Educational Facilities' Safe Schools Facilities Checklist. The assessment 233
291+shall be conducted under the supervision of the local law enforcement 234
292+agency. 235
293+(4) Except as provided in subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this 236
294+subsection, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, if an applicant 237
295+described in subdivisions (1) to (7), inclusive, of subsection (a) of this 238
296+section was unable to receive a grant for an application submitted 239
297+during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, because of insufficient 240
298+funds to provide grants to all applicants, such applicant may resubmit 241
299+the same application for a grant during the fiscal year ending June 30, 242
300+2019. The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection 243
301+shall accept and give priority to all such resubmitted applications 244
302+during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. 245
303+Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to 246
304+study issues concerning the employment of school security officers 247
305+who are in possession of a firearm while on duty in public elementary, 248
306+middle and high schools. Such study shall include, but not be limited 249 Raised Bill No. 7356
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308+
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312+to, an analysis of (1) whether school security officers should be 250
313+authorized to carry a firearm while on duty in a public school, (2) who 251
314+should be responsible for conducting criminal history records checks 252
315+of school security officers, and (3) who should be responsible for 253
316+supervising school security officers. For purposes of this section, 254
317+"school security officer" means a person who is employed by or has 255
318+entered into an agreement, as described in subdivision (2) of 256
319+subsection (b) of section 53a-217b of the general statutes, with a local 257
320+or regional board of education to provide school security services, and 258
321+who is not a school resource officer, as defined in section 10-233m of 259
322+the general statutes. 260
323+(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 261
324+(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 262
325+who is a representative of the Connecticut Education Association; 263
326+(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who 264
327+is a representative of the American Federation of Teachers -265
328+Connecticut; 266
329+(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 267
330+Representatives, who is a school resource officer; 268
331+(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who is a 269
332+representative of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education; 270
333+(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 271
334+Representatives, who is the chief of police of a municipality; 272
335+(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is a 273
336+school security officer; 274
337+(7) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, 275
338+or the commissioner's designee; and 276
339+(8) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee. 277 Raised Bill No. 7356
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345+(c) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than 278
346+thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be 279
347+filled by the appointing authority. 280
348+(d) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president 281
349+pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force 282
350+from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall 283
351+schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not 284
352+later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. 285
353+(e) Not later than January 1, 2020, the task force shall submit a 286
354+report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing 287
355+committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 288
356+relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-289
357+4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date 290
358+that it submits such report or January 1, 2020, whichever is later. 291
359+Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 10-292r of the general statutes is 292
360+repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 293
361+1, 2019): 294
362+(b) The School Safety Infrastructure Council shall develop school 295
363+safety infrastructure criteria for school building projects awarded 296
364+grants pursuant to this chapter and the school security infrastructure 297
365+competitive grant program, pursuant to section 84 of public act 13-3. 298
366+Such school safety infrastructure criteria shall conform to industry 299
367+standards for school building safety infrastructure and shall address 300
368+areas including, but not be limited to, (1) entryways to school 301
369+buildings and classrooms, such as, reinforcement of entryways, 302
370+ballistic glass, solid core doors, doors that can be locked from inside 303
371+the classroom, double door access, computer-controlled electronic 304
372+locks, remote locks on all entrance and exits and buzzer systems, (2) 305
373+the use of cameras throughout the school building and at all entrances 306
374+and exits, including the use of closed-circuit television monitoring, (3) 307
375+penetration resistant vestibules, and (4) other security infrastructure 308
376+improvements and devices as they become industry standards. The 309 Raised Bill No. 7356
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382+council shall meet at least annually to review and update, if necessary, 310
383+the school safety infrastructure criteria and make such criteria 311
384+available to local and regional boards of education. 312
92385 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
93386 sections:
94387
95-Section 1 from passage New section
388+Section 1 July 1, 2019 PA 13-3, Sec. 84
96389 Sec. 2 from passage New section
390+Sec. 3 July 1, 2019 10-292r(b)
97391
98-ED Joint Favorable Subst.
392+Statement of Purpose:
393+To allow school districts to use school security infrastructure
394+competitive grant program funds to hire school security officers, to
395+establish a task force to study issues concerning the authorization of
396+school security officers to carry a firearm while on duty, and to revise
397+the school safety infrastructure criteria for school building projects to
398+include doors that can be locked from inside the classroom.
399+[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
400+except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
401+not underlined.]
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