SB0071 EngrossedLRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 AN ACT concerning safety. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The School Safety Drill Act is amended by 5 changing Sections 5, 10, 15, and 25 and by adding Section 65 as 6 follows: 7 (105 ILCS 128/5) 8 Sec. 5. Definitions. In this Act: 9 "Emergency services and disaster agency" means an agency 10 by the name "emergency services and disaster agency", by the 11 name "emergency management agency", or by any other name that 12 is established by ordinance within a political subdivision to 13 coordinate the emergency management program within that 14 political subdivision with private organizations, other 15 political subdivisions, and the State and federal governments. 16 "First responder" means and includes all fire departments 17 and districts, law enforcement agencies and officials, 18 emergency medical responders, emergency medical dispatchers, 19 and emergency management officials involved in the execution 20 and documentation of the drills administered under this Act. 21 "Hazardous substance" has the meaning given to that term 22 in Section 3.215 of the Environmental Protection Act, except 23 that, as used in this Act, "hazardous substance" also includes SB0071 Engrossed LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 2 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 radioactive materials, hydrocarbons, petroleum, gasoline, and 2 crude oil or any products, by-products, or fractions thereof. 3 "Local emergency planning committee" means the committee 4 that is appointed for an emergency planning district under 5 Section 301 of the federal Emergency Planning and Community 6 Right-to-Know Act of 1986. 7 "School" means a public or private facility that offers 8 elementary or secondary education to students under the age of 9 21. As used in this definition, "public facility" means a 10 facility operated by the State or by a unit of local 11 government. As used in this definition, "private facility" 12 means any non-profit, non-home-based, non-public elementary or 13 secondary school that is in compliance with Title VI of the 14 Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which satisfies the 15 requirements of Section 26-1 of the School Code. While more 16 than one school may be housed in a facility, for purposes of 17 this Act, the facility shall be considered a school. When a 18 school has more than one location, for purposes of this Act, 19 each different location shall be considered its own school. 20 "School district" means any public school district 21 established under the School Code, any program of a special 22 education joint agreement established under Section 3-15.14, 23 10-22.31, or 10-22.31a of the School Code, or any charter 24 school authorized by the State Board of Education in 25 accordance with Section 27A-7.5 of the School Code. 26 "School safety drill" means a pre-planned exercise SB0071 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 3 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 conducted by a school in accordance with the drills and 2 requirements set forth in this Act. 3 (Source: P.A. 102-894, eff. 5-20-22; 102-1006, eff. 1-1-23; 4 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-175, eff. 6-30-23.) 5 (105 ILCS 128/10) 6 Sec. 10. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is (i) to 7 establish minimum requirements and standards for schools to 8 follow when conducting school safety drills and reviewing 9 school emergency and crisis response plans and, beginning July 10 1, 2027, hazardous substance release procedures and (ii) to 11 encourage schools and first responders to work together for 12 the safety of children. Communities and schools may exceed 13 these requirements and standards. 14 (Source: P.A. 94-600, eff. 8-16-05.) 15 (105 ILCS 128/15) 16 Sec. 15. Types of drills. Under this Act, the following 17 school safety drills shall be instituted by all schools in 18 this State: 19 (1) School evacuation drills, which shall address and 20 prepare students and school personnel for situations that 21 occur when conditions outside of a school building are 22 safer than inside a school building. Evacuation incidents 23 are based on the needs of particular communities and may 24 include without limitation the following: SB0071 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 4 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 4 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 4 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 (A) fire; 2 (B) suspicious items or persons; 3 (C) incidents involving hazardous materials, 4 including, but not limited to, chemical, incendiary, 5 and explosives; and 6 (D) bomb threats; and . 7 (E) incidents involving the release or explosion 8 of hazardous substances. 9 (2) Except as limited by subsection (b-5) of Section 10 20 of this Act, bus evacuation drills, which shall address 11 and prepare students and school personnel for situations 12 that occur when conditions outside of a bus are safer than 13 inside the bus. Evacuation incidents are based on the 14 needs of particular communities and may include without 15 limitation the following: 16 (A) fire; 17 (B) suspicious items; and 18 (C) incidents involving hazardous materials, 19 including, but not limited to, chemical, incendiary, 20 and explosives; and . 21 (D) incidents involving the release or explosion 22 of hazardous substances. 23 (3) Law enforcement drills, which shall address and 24 prepare school personnel for situations calling for the 25 involvement of law enforcement when conditions inside a 26 school building are safer than outside of a school SB0071 Engrossed - 4 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 5 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 building and it is necessary to protect building occupants 2 from potential dangers in a school building. Law 3 enforcement drills may involve situations that call for 4 the reverse-evacuation or the lock-down of a school 5 building. Evacuation or reverse-evacuation incidents shall 6 include a shooting incident. 7 (4) Severe weather and shelter-in-place drills, which 8 shall address and prepare students for situations 9 involving severe weather emergencies or the release of 10 external gas or chemicals. Severe weather and 11 shelter-in-place incidents shall be based on the needs and 12 environment of particular communities and may include 13 without limitation the following: 14 (A) severe weather, including, but not limited to, 15 shear winds, lightning, and earthquakes; 16 (B) incidents involving hazardous materials, 17 including, but not limited to, chemical, incendiary, 18 and explosives; and 19 (C) incidents involving weapons of mass 20 destruction, including, but not limited to, 21 biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons; and . 22 (D) incidents involving the release or explosion 23 of hazardous materials. 24 (Source: P.A. 100-443, eff. 8-25-17.) 25 (105 ILCS 128/25) SB0071 Engrossed - 5 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 6 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 6 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 6 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 Sec. 25. Annual review. 2 (a) Each public school district, through its school board 3 or the board's designee, shall conduct a minimum of one annual 4 meeting at which it will review each school building's 5 emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and 6 procedures, including procedures regarding the school 7 district's threat assessment team, the school district's 8 hazardous substance release procedures, procedures regarding 9 the school district's cardiac emergency response plan, the 10 efficacy and effects of law enforcement drills, and each 11 building's compliance with the school safety drill programs. 12 The purpose of this annual review shall be to review and update 13 the emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and 14 procedures and the school safety drill programs of the 15 district and each of its school buildings. This review must be 16 at no cost to the school district. In updating a school 17 building's emergency and crisis response plans, consideration 18 may be given to making the emergency and crisis response plans 19 available to first responders, administrators, and teachers 20 for implementation and utilization through the use of 21 electronic applications on electronic devices, including, but 22 not limited to, smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers. 23 (b) Each school board or the board's designee is required 24 to participate in the annual review and to invite each of the 25 following parties to the annual review and provide each party 26 with a minimum of 30 days' notice before the date of the annual SB0071 Engrossed - 6 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 7 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 7 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 7 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 review: 2 (1) The principal of each school within the school 3 district or his or her official designee. 4 (2) Representatives from any other education-related 5 organization or association deemed appropriate by the 6 school district. 7 (3) Representatives from all local first responder 8 organizations to participate, advise, and consult in the 9 review process, including, but not limited to: 10 (A) the appropriate local fire department or 11 district; 12 (B) the appropriate local law enforcement agency; 13 (C) the appropriate local emergency medical 14 services agency if the agency is a separate, local 15 first responder unit; and 16 (D) any other member of the first responder or 17 emergency management community that has contacted the 18 district superintendent or his or her designee during 19 the past year to request involvement in a school's 20 emergency planning or drill process; and . 21 (E) the applicable emergency services and disaster 22 agency or the applicable local emergency planning 23 committee. 24 (4) The school board or its designee may also choose 25 to invite to the annual review any other persons whom it 26 believes will aid in the review process, including, but SB0071 Engrossed - 7 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 8 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 8 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 8 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 not limited to, any members of any other education-related 2 organization or the first responder or emergency 3 management community. 4 (c) Upon the conclusion of the annual review, the school 5 board or the board's designee shall sign a one page report, 6 which may be in either a check-off format or a narrative 7 format, that does the following: 8 (1) summarizes the review's recommended changes to the 9 existing school safety plans and drill plans; 10 (2) lists the parties that participated in the annual 11 review, and includes the annual review's attendance 12 record; 13 (3) certifies that an effective review of the 14 emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and 15 procedures and the school safety drill programs of the 16 district and each of its school buildings has occurred; 17 (4) states that the school district will implement 18 those plans, protocols, procedures, and programs, during 19 the academic year; and 20 (5) includes the authorization of the school board or 21 the board's designee. 22 (d) The school board or its designee shall send a copy of 23 the report to each party that participates in the annual 24 review process and to the appropriate regional superintendent 25 of schools. If any of the participating parties have comments 26 on the certification document, those parties shall submit SB0071 Engrossed - 8 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 9 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 9 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 9 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 their comments in writing to the appropriate regional 2 superintendent. The regional superintendent shall maintain a 3 record of these comments. The certification document may be in 4 a check-off format or narrative format, at the discretion of 5 the district superintendent. 6 (e) The review must occur at least once during the fiscal 7 year, at a specific time chosen at the school district 8 superintendent's discretion. 9 (f) A private school shall conduct a minimum of one annual 10 meeting at which the school must review each school building's 11 emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and 12 procedures, including procedures regarding the school's 13 cardiac emergency response plan, and each building's 14 compliance with the school safety drill programs of the 15 school. The purpose of this annual review shall be to review 16 and update the emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, 17 and procedures and the school safety drill programs of the 18 school. This review must be at no cost to the private school. 19 The private school shall invite representatives from all 20 local first responder organizations to participate, advise, 21 and consult in the review process, including, but not limited 22 to, the following: 23 (1) the appropriate local fire department or fire 24 protection district; 25 (2) the appropriate local law enforcement agency; 26 (3) the appropriate local emergency medical services SB0071 Engrossed - 9 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 10 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 10 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 10 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 agency if the agency is a separate, local first responder 2 unit; and 3 (4) any other member of the first responder or 4 emergency management community that has contacted the 5 school's chief administrative officer or his or her 6 designee during the past year to request involvement in 7 the school's emergency planning or drill process. 8 (Source: P.A. 102-395, eff. 8-16-21; 103-608, eff. 1-1-25.) 9 (105 ILCS 128/65 new) 10 Sec. 65. Hazardous substance release guidance and 11 procedures. 12 (a) By July 1, 2026, the Illinois Emergency Management 13 Agency and Office of Homeland Security, in consultation with 14 the State Board of Education, shall develop and provide 15 guidance to all local emergency planning committees, emergency 16 services and disaster agencies, and school districts in the 17 State specifically related to the potential impact to school 18 districts of a release or explosion of a hazardous substance 19 resulting from storage or rail transport. This guidance shall 20 also be made available to these entities on the website of the 21 Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland 22 Security. 23 (b) The guidance developed under subsection (a) shall 24 include: 25 (1) a description of the methods and procedures to be SB0071 Engrossed - 10 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 11 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 11 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 11 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 followed by school personnel in response to a release or 2 explosion of a hazardous substance; 3 (2) a description of the federal, State, or local 4 agencies, including first responders, responsible for 5 identifying whether the release or explosion of a 6 hazardous substance has occurred and how that information 7 will be communicated to school personnel, including any 8 appropriate precautions school districts should take to 9 protect their students and staff and how the wind 10 direction may impact their evacuation plans; 11 (3) recommendations for school evacuation plans, 12 including recommendations for an alternative plan if 13 advised by federal, State, or local agencies, including 14 first responders, that one is needed due to the wind 15 direction; 16 (4) a list of available training programs; 17 (5) a description of recommended communication 18 protocols for school districts with first responders, 19 local law enforcement agencies, and other local, State, or 20 federal emergency management agencies; and 21 (6) a list of instructions for school districts on how 22 to identify their applicable local emergency planning 23 committee or emergency services and disaster agency. 24 (c) By July 1, 2027, each school district shall, in 25 consultation with the applicable local emergency planning 26 committee or emergency services and disaster agency, develop SB0071 Engrossed - 11 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed- 12 -LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 12 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b SB0071 Engrossed - 12 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b 1 procedures for each of its schools to address the release or 2 explosion of a hazardous substance based on the guidance 3 developed under subsection (a). However, a school district is 4 not required to develop procedures until the guidance provided 5 in subsection (a) is made available on the website of the 6 Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland 7 Security. 8 (d) Each school district shall make available to all 9 school personnel relevant and appropriate information related 10 to the procedures in subsection (c), including identified 11 evacuation plans, as well as alternative evacuation plans, 12 safe locations where student and staff can seek shelter, and a 13 description of how that information will be communicated to 14 school personnel in such an emergency. SB0071 Engrossed - 12 - LRB104 07353 LNS 17393 b