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H7731A
2026 -- H 7731 SUBSTITUTE A
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LC005131/SUB A
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS
Introduced By:
Representatives Read, Noret, Fascia, Corvese, Santucci, Donovan,
McNamara, Casey, Serpa, and Solomon
Date Introduced:
February 12, 2026
Referred To:
House Education
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 16-21-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21 entitled "Health and
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Safety of Pupils" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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16-21-23. School safety teams, school crisis response teams, and school safety
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assessments.
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(a) Each school district of each town, city, and regional school department shall conduct a
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school safety assessment in conjunction with local police, fire, school safety team pursuant to the
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provisions of this section and any other expert said school department deems necessary. The
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assessment shall examine the current status of each school building’s safety and shall be performed
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within thirty (30) days of passage of this act, and every three (3) years thereafter.
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(1) There shall be a Rhode Island school safety committee whose functions shall include,
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but not be limited to, providing training to law enforcement, school administrators, and teachers;
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collecting and reviewing all hazard safety security assessments; and offering recommendations and
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assistance to each school district of every town, city, and regional school department, in an effort
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to increase the safety of students and faculty. The committee shall be comprised of
twelve (12)
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thirteen (13)
members as follows: the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or designee,
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who shall serve as chairperson of the committee; the president of the Police Chiefs’ Association,
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or designee;
a representative from the Rhode Island School Resource Officer Association, to be
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selected by the association;
the director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency, or
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designee; the commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education, or designee;
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a representative from the Rhode Island School Superintendents’ Association, to be selected by the
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association; the director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and
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hospitals, or designee; the state fire marshal, or designee; a representative of the Rhode Island
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Association of School Maintenance Directors, to be selected by the association; a representative
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from the Rhode Island Association of School Principals, to be selected by the association; a
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representative from the Rhode Island Association of School Committees, to be selected by the
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association; a representative from the National Education Association of Rhode Island (“NEARI”),
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who shall be a full-time classroom teacher, to be selected by the president of NEARI; and one
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representative from the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals
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(“RIFTHP”), who shall be a full-time classroom teacher, to be selected by the president of the
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RIFTHP.
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(2) Each school department of each town, city, and regional school district shall complete
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the emergency action plan and shall submit the all hazards site safety survey report to the Rhode
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Island school safety committee every three (3) years for the committee’s review and
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recommendation.
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(3) The assessment shall be completed by November 1 of the year mandated, and by
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December 31 of that year, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall report to
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the speaker of the house, the senate president, and the governor that the assessments have been
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completed. Assessments performed within a year of the date of passage of this act shall satisfy this
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requirement.
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(4) All meetings regarding the school safety assessment are not subject to the open
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meetings law pursuant to chapter 46 of title 42, and documents produced including, but not limited
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to, meeting minutes and the school safety assessment are not subject to the access to public records
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law pursuant to chapter 2 of title 38.
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(b) The school committee of each town, city, and regional school department shall review
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and adopt in executive session a comprehensive school safety plan regarding crisis intervention,
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emergency response, and management. The plan shall be developed by a school safety team
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comprised of representatives of the school committee; representatives of student, teacher, and
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parent organizations; school safety personnel; school administration; and members of local law
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enforcement, fire, and emergency personnel. Members of the school safety team shall be appointed
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by the school committee and/or school superintendent of the town, city, or regional school district.
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In creating the school safety plan, the school safety team(s) shall consult the model school safety
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plan developed by the department of elementary and secondary education pursuant to § 16-21-23.1.
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(c) The school crisis response team shall be comprised of those selected school personnel
LC005131/SUB A - Page 2 of 4
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willing to serve as members of a psychological response team to address the psychological and
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emotional needs of the school community, and may seek mental health resources from the
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department of elementary and secondary education. Members of the school crisis response team
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may coordinate mental health services for those students and school employees affected by acts of
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violence in the schools, using resources available through the department of elementary and
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secondary education.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS
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This act would amend the composition of the Rhode Island school safety committee by
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adding an additional member who is a representative from the Rhode Island School Resource
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Officer Association.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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