Bill Text: VA HB4019 | 2019 | 1st Special Session | Prefiled


Bill Title: Public school buildings, certain, & buildings owned by localities; certain detection/alerting syst.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-07-09 - Tabled in Militia, Police and Public Safety with letter to Crime Commission (12-Y 9-N) [HB4019 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2019-HB4019-Prefiled.html
19200237D
HOUSE BILL NO. 4019
Offered July 9, 2019
Prefiled July 8, 2019
A BILL to amend and reenact §22.1-138 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-1804.1, relating to certain public school buildings and buildings owned by localities; certain detection and alerting systems; testing and training.
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Patron-- Miyares
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Committee Referral Pending
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §22.1-138 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 15.2-1804.1 as follows:

§15.2-1804.1. Certain buildings; detection and alerting systems; testing and training.

A. The plans or blueprints for the construction of any new building to be owned by a locality or the renovation of any existing building owned by a locality shall include an indoor active shooter gunshot detection system, an enhanced closed-circuit television video management system with an artificial intelligence platform that detects exposed guns or knives at main building access points, and a mass notification and alerting system.

B. Appropriate building personnel, in coordination with law-enforcement officers and emergency personnel, as that term is defined in §18.2-426, shall annually test each system described in subsection A.

C. The governing body of each locality, in coordination with law-enforcement officers and emergency personnel, as that term is defined in § 18.2-426, shall annually train each individual employed in a building that contains the systems described in subsection A on the functions and operation of each such system.

§22.1-138. Minimum standards for public school buildings.

A. The Board of Education shall prescribe by regulation minimum standards for the erection of or addition to public school buildings governing instructional, operational, health, and maintenance facilities where these are not specifically addressed in the Uniform Statewide Building Code.

B. By July 1, 1994, every school building in operation in the Commonwealth shall be tested for radon pursuant to procedures established by the United States U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for radon measurements in schools.

C. School buildings and additions opened for operation after July 1, 1994, shall be tested for radon pursuant to such EPA procedures and regulations prescribed by the Board of Education pursuant to subsection A of this section. Each school shall maintain files of its radon test results and make such files available for review. The division superintendent shall report radon test results to the Department of Health.

C. D. Each school board shall, in consultation with the local building official and the state or local fire marshal, develop a procurement plan to ensure that all security enhancements to public school buildings are in compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§36-97 et seq.) and Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§27-94 et seq.).

E. The plans or blueprints for the construction of any new public school building or the renovation of any existing public school building shall include an indoor active shooter gunshot detection system, an enhanced closed-circuit television video management system with an artificial intelligence platform that detects exposed guns or knives at main building access points, and a mass notification and alerting system.

F. Appropriate school building personnel, in coordination with law-enforcement officers and emergency personnel, as that term is defined in §18.2-426, shall annually test each system described in subsection E.

G. Each school board, in coordination with law-enforcement officers and emergency personnel, as that term is defined in § 18.2-426, shall annually train each individual employed and each student enrolled in a public school that contains the systems described in subsection E on the functions and operation of each such system.

D. H. No school employee shall open or close an electronic room partition in any school building unless (i) no student is present in such building, (ii) (a) no student is present in the room or area in which such partition is located and (b) such room or area is locked or otherwise inaccessible to students, or (iii) such partition includes a safety sensor that automatically stops the partition when a body passes between the leading edge and a wall, an opposing partition, or the stacking area.

E. I. Any annual safety review or exercise for school employees in a local school division shall include information and demonstrations, as appropriate, regarding the provisions of subsection D H.

F. J. The Department of Education shall make available to each school board model safety guidance regarding the operation of electronic room partitions.

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