A Kentucky Republican has reintroduced legislation aimed at enhancing security and mental health measures in schools to prevent school shootings in the state.
Senator Max Wise, representing Campbellsville, filed Senate Bill 2 on Thursday, seeking to further bolster school safety measures across Kentucky. This move follows his successful backing of the School Safety and Resiliency Act in 2019, a bipartisan effort that expanded school security programs and mental health resources in the wake of the 2018 Marshall County High School shooting, which resulted in the deaths of two students and injuries to more than a dozen others.
The new legislation proposes several measures, including the establishment of the “Kentucky Guardian” program to address schools lacking school resource officers (SROs). These certified guardians, who would be school employees meeting specific requirements and certified by the Kentucky Center for School Safety, would fill in for SROs and undergo training similar to the first level of SRO training. While guardians would be permitted to carry weapons, they would not have the authority to make arrests or discipline students.
Senator Wise emphasized that the bill aims not only to enhance security but also to integrate mental health support into schools. It would create trauma-informed teams comprising school psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals to compile records of activities during the school year. This approach, mandated by the 2019 act, focuses on making students feel safe and supported.
Additionally, Senate Bill 2 would require the Kentucky Department of Education to provide an annual summary of data on trauma-informed approaches in schools to the Kentucky Board of Education and the Legislative Research Commission. This data would include information on mental health service providers in schools and evidence-based training for school staff on addressing childhood trauma-related experiences.
Wise highlighted the importance of his bill’s “layered approach” in light of recent school shootings across the country. He stressed that the legislation aims to address gaps in school security, particularly in districts without access to SROs, providing an additional avenue for schools to enhance safety measures.
The bill does not include a funding provision, leaving it to individual schools to decide whether to provide stipends for guardians.
While the proposed legislation aims to strengthen school safety, a separate bill, Senate Bill 93 sponsored by Senator Stephen Meredith, seeks to remove language related to trauma-informed approaches in schools. However, Senate Bill 93 has yet to receive a committee hearing.
Senator Wise urged against removing language related to trauma-informed approaches, emphasizing the effectiveness of such measures in supporting students. He emphasized the importance of maintaining these approaches while also implementing additional security measures outlined in Senate Bill 2.