A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "Safe Schools Act of 2026" BY ADDING ARTICLE 6 TO CHAPTER 63, TITLE 59, SO AS TO ESTABLISH A MULTIJURISDICTIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY TASK FORCE, TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DEVELOP MULTIHAZARD EMERGENCY OPERATION PLANS, TO PROVIDE FOR CERTIFIED SCHOOL SAFETY ASSESSMENTS AND REQUIRED LIVE DRILLS, AND TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BY SLED, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "Safe Schools Act of 2026."

 

SECTION 2.  Chapter 63, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

Article 6

Multihazard Emergency Operation Plans

 

    Section 59-63-610. As used in this article:

       (1) "Center" means the South Carolina Center for School Safety and Targeted Violence under the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

       (2) "MEOP" means the Multihazard Emergency Operation Plan established pursuant to this article.

       (3) "Certified Security Assessor" means an individual or organization registered with and approved by the center, holding current certifications in multiple relevant areas including, at a minimum, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Physical Security Certification (PSC), school security strategies, and other equivalent credentials specific to educational facility security assessments. General policing or law enforcement credentials alone do not satisfy this requirement.

 

    Section 59-63-620. (A) There is established the Multijurisdictional School Safety Task Force (Task Force), a continuing body responsible for developing, coordinating, and advising on statewide school safety policies, best practices, and implementation strategies.

    (B) The task force consists of seven members, appointed as follows:

       (1) one representative of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, appointed by the Chief of SLED, who shall serve as chair;

       (2) one representative of the State Department of Education, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;

       (3) one representative of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, appointed by the Governor;

       (4) one representative of local law enforcement, appointed by the Governor;

       (5) one school safety officer or school resource officer with experience in a public school, appointed by the Governor;

       (6) one licensed mental health professional with experience in child or adolescent mental health, appointed by the Governor; and

       (7) one public school district administrator, appointed by the Governor.

    (C) Appointments must be made within sixty days after the effective date of this act.

    (D) Members shall serve four-year terms and may be reappointed. Members appointed by agency heads serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

    (E) A majority of the members constitutes a quorum. The task force may meet as often as necessary to carry out its duties, may elect a vice chair and other officers as it considers necessary, and may establish subcommittees or working groups, including nonmember subject-matter experts, provided that final recommendations are approved by the task force.

    (F) Vacancies must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.

    (G) Members shall serve without compensation, but may receive mileage, subsistence, and per diem as provided by law, subject to available funds.

    (H) The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division shall provide administrative support and staffing for the task force but shall not have sole authority to develop, implement, or unilaterally approve statewide school safety policies, plans, or programs. State agencies represented on the task force shall cooperate upon request.

    (I) The task force shall:

           (1) develop a statewide master Multijurisdictional Emergency Operation Plan (MEOP) through collaborative consensus;

           (2) provide templates, protocols, best practices, and technical support to districts and schools;

           (3) advise on communications systems, emergency command structures, and interagency coordination; and

           (4) ensure statewide consistency while respecting local needs and circumstances.

    (J) The task force shall:

       (1) review and assess school safety policies, procedures, and practices;

       (2) identify coordination gaps and recommend best practices for prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery; and

       (3) advise the General Assembly and executive agencies on school safety matters.

    (K) The task force shall submit a written report at least annually to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate. The report must be publicly available, including posting on the State Department of Education's website.

    (L) Final adoption of the master MEOP and major policy recommendations requires majority approval of the task force.

    (M) The task force is subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

 

    Section 59-63-630. (A)  Each school district must develop and annually update district-wide and school-specific MEOPs aligned with the statewide master MEOP.

    (B) Each school district MEOP shall address:

       (1) prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery (PPMRR);

       (2) communication protocols;

       (3) evacuation and reunification procedures;

       (4) transportation contingencies;

       (5) memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with mental health providers, houses of worship, EMS, and other partners;

       (6) continuity of operations; and

       (7) clear chain of command with succession plans.

    (C) Each school district's MEOP must be:

       (1) reviewed and updated annually by the district;

       (2) audited by the center at least every two years; and

       (3) accompanied by a superintendent compliance certification in nonaudit years.

 

    Section 59-63-640. (A) Every public school and charter school must undergo an in-person certified security and safety campus assessment at least once every three years.

    (B) Assessments must be conducted by a certified security assessor registered with the center who holds the required multiple certifications specified in Section 59-63-610(3). An assessment performed by an individual or entity lacking these specific credentials are not valid for compliance purposes.

    (C) The center shall:

       (1) maintain a public registry of approved certified security assessors;

       (2) establish and enforce minimum credential and training standards; and

       (3) review all submitted assessment reports for completeness and compliance.

    (D) Assessment results and recommendations shall inform the school's MEOP updates and safety drill planning.

 

    Section 59-63-650. (A) Each school district must conduct in-person, live-action safety drills for the majority of required drills required pursuant to Article 9 or as provided in this article each academic year.

    (B) At least one full-scale, in-person drill each for the fire drill, active shooter/intruder drill, and severe weather/earthquake drill required pursuant to Article 9 each academic year must be performed and must be directly informed by the findings and recommendations of the school's most recent certified security and safety campus assessment.

    (C) Online, virtual, or tabletop-only drills may be used as supplemental exercises to review outcomes or discuss scenarios, but may not substitute for the required live, in-person drills.

    (D) All drills must be coordinated with guidance from the center and followed by an after-action report identifying deficiencies. Deficiencies must be tracked and resolved, with updates provided to the center upon request.

 

    Section 59-63-660. (A) If noncompliance with any requirement of this article is identified, SLED, in consultation with the task force, may:

       (1) withhold a portion of applicable state school safety or related funds from the State Department of Education for redistribution to compliant districts;

       (2) include the district or school in an annual public noncompliance report; and

       (3) require submission of a corrective action plan within thirty days.

    (B) SLED and the center shall provide technical assistance, training, and resources to support districts in achieving and maintaining compliance.

 

    Section 59-63-670. The provisions of this article must be fully implemented before July 1, 2027, except that the first required certified campus security assessment must be completed within two years of the effective date.

 

SECTION 3.  This act takes effect on July 1, 2026.

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