The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation, which includes provisions authored by Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06), to increase school security and better protect students.
Messer introduced legislation that would enable local schools to apply for matching grants to make physical and technological improvements to secure their schools. Today’s bill, the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018, incorporates Messer’s legislation by creating a grant program to help schools fund and implement these school security improvements.
“Today, the House took a major step forward to better protect our children,†Messer said. “Instead of targeting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, we need to focus on securing our schools. This commonsense legislation provides resources to secure local schools and keep students safe.â€
The grant program created by the STOP School Violence Act could also be used to train students, teachers, school officials, and local law enforcement in emergency situations. The bipartisan legislation also provides funding to improve coordination between schools and local law enforcement.
Messer recently visited Southwestern High School in his district, which has been named the “Safest School in America†because of its use of innovations like a direct camera feed to the county sheriff, real-time tracking, teacher panic buttons, bulletproof doors, and other innovations.
Messer said the school’s physical infrastructure, coordination with law enforcement, and school safety training for students, teachers and faculty can be used as a model for other schools across the nation.
“Right here in Indiana, Southwestern High School has gained a national reputation for school security,†Messer said. “The legislation passed today would enable schools across America to follow this model, protect our children, and help prevent these tragedies.â€
