SB 125-SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN CHAIRMAN MILLER brought up SB 125 and invited Senator Hoffman's staff to present it. Number 389 MR.TIM GRUSSENDORF, Staff Aide, explained that Senator Hoffman was requested by the Lower Kuskokwim School District to introduce SB 125 to address their concerns about school crisis response planning. In February 1997, gunfire exploded in the hallways of the Bethel Regional High School and ended the lives of Principal Ron Edwards and student Josh Palacios. The actions that took place immediately following this tragedy still haunt the residents of Bethel with questions about who was in charge and what should have been done in a case like this. In Bethel the crisis was magnified because one of the people in charge whom people looked to for direction and support, the principal, was one of the victims. MR. GRUSSENDORF said Senator Hoffman sincerely hopes that no other school or community will experience this type of trauma. However, if a similar incident should occur in any school in Alaska, SB 125 would assure communities that a crisis response plan is in place, with preparedness to respond to the situation. MR. GRUSSENDORF said this is a work in progress and Senator Hoffman wants the bill to be user friendly and inclusive, without placing a financial burden on the schools. SB 125 has had valuable input from individuals and organizations involved in school safety issues, and the sponsor will continue to work with any group to address their concerns. Early on, it became clear the scope of the bill is very broad and can involve a variety of school safety issues. The sponsor intends to keep it a crisis response bill to ensure that all schools have a site-specific crisis response plan in place, and to work on school safety issues in future legislation. MR. BRUCE JOHNSON, Director of Division of Teaching and Learning in the Department of Education, spoke in support of SB 125. The department believes it's important that all students are provided protection that may come from proactive planning in each school community. A requirement directing each school to develop a school crisis plan in conjunction with key community members is a good idea. Given Alaska's diversity, latitude is necessary to allow each school to identify the appropriate members of the planning team consistent with services available in a particular community. The department also urges that the content sections of the bill remain sufficiently broad to allow community and school flexibility while ensuring the safety of students. MR. JOHNSON said the department looks forward to working with Senator Hoffman on this incremental approach to advance planning for potential crises in our schools. MR. ROBERT BUTTCANE, Juvenile Probation Officer with the Depart- ment of Health & Social Services, spoke on behalf of the depart- ment in support of SB 125. He encouraged the committee to act favorably on the bill as a best-practices approach to school crisis response planning. He said he would welcome being a part of the group that would assist schools in developing appropriate response plans. CHAIRMAN MILLER asked the wish of the committee. Number 433 SENATOR ELTON moved SB 125 from committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.