School Safety and Security Bill
Updated December 13, 2017

S-2242

  • On July 27, 2017 a new law was signed by Governor Christie which requires the superintendent of each school district to designate a school administrator as a school safety specialist for the district.
  • This new law goes in effect on January 17, 2018, so all superintendents should take action before that date to designate their districts school safety specialist.
  • Once fully implemented, this new law requires that the Department of Education provide a training cerification program free of charge to your district's school safety specialist on bullying, hazing, truancy, internet safety, emergency planning, emergency drills, drugs, weapons, gangs and school policing.


S-2438

  • Drills required, in summer, if building is used for instruction.
  • If school has fire escapes, it must be used for every fire drill.
  • If an actual fire or critical incident occurs during school hours it can be used for that month's fire drill.
  • Police must be present at a minimum of one critcal incident drill each school year to offer suggestions to improve the procedures.
  • All employees in school district (public and non public) shall receive critcal incident training annually in cooperation with local PD, FD & EMS.  This does not change the requirement that all new employees be trained within 60 days of employment.

Shall take effect in the first full year following the date of enactment which would make it September of 2017


S-2439
The first section of this law addresses new construction of school buildings:

  • Wherever possible, adequate space for bus and vehicular traffic with additional space for proper evacuation of occupants.
  • Whereever possible, bus drop off/pick up shall be separated from other vehicluar drop off and pick up traffic areas.
  • Wherever possible, pedestrian routes shall be separated from vehicular routes and crossing of the two minimized.
  • Anterior doors kept to minimum, but as necessary to meet code.
  • Single entrance for use during the school day with a security vestibule that has interior doors that must be released by security staff.  The district shall give consideration to providing bullet resistant glazing in the interior vestible doors and windows.
  • Consideration must be made to providing bullet resistant glazing to the interior doors and windows.
  • All marked entrances shall conform to a uniform numbering system.
  • Principal's office shall have a secondary exit.
  • Interior door locks on spaces will serve as safe havens during lockdowns and shall have a keyless locking mechanism.
  • New school buildings shall be provided with access control systems which allow for remote locking and unlocking of building access doors.

S-2439
The second section of the law addresses new or existing buildings (Takes effect immediately):

  • Security personnel in uniform
  • Driveways, one way if possible, that lead to clearly marked visitor parking areas.  Stop signs and other traffic calming devices shall be used to keep vehicles at reasonable speeds.
  • Bollards along roadway or curb line in front of school to prevent vehicles from gaining access to exterior walls, windos & doors, or in area of the property where vehicles are prohibited.
  • Main entrance clearly marked
  • Limit number of doors for access by staff
  • Lock exterior doors and when they are used for large entry/exit, provide that they are staffed and monitored.
  • Utilize an access control system with remote unlocking features, an intercom and fixed cameras at the school's main entrances & other entrances, as funding permits.
  • Entrances marked with a numberical sequence.
  • Parking decals for staff and students who park on campus
  • Enclosures for ouside utilities away from building to prevent roof access
  • Adequate and properly maintained exterior lighting
  • Guard shack & gate for perimeter control if funding, staffing and site approval are possible.
  • Creation of secure vestibule at the main entrance where footprint and funding allows.  The exterior door entrance shall allow access by a visitor only to the vestibule and the door to the remainder of the building shall remain locked.
  • Adopt policies and procedures that indicate propping open doors is strictly prohibited and that students and staff shall not open a door for anyone.
  • Dedicated server and generator for security systems, such as access control and cameras.
  • Use ballistic or shatter resistant film for glass entrance door sidelights and other vulnerable first floor areas.
  • Maintain strict key distribution protocol