Minnesota lawmakers seek solutions for school safety with SHIELD Act
School safety will be in the spotlight at the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday.
Lawmakers will be sharing their ideas on what safety measures should be incorporated into all Minnesota schools.
A new bill House lawmakers are introducing would encourage schools to come up with a safety plan for the next decade. It's nicknamed the SHIELD Act, which stands for "Safe Haven in Every Local District" Act.
Part of the proposal includes implementing a health and safety program for improving indoor air quality management and remediation of lead hazards, among other things.
The bill would also create a new grant program for school safety. Schools could use the money to install things like bullet-resistant doors and windows, ballistic wall panels and remote lockdown activation systems.
The money would come as a one-time payout and would be available until June 2028.
Lawmakers plan to speak publicly about the bill at 1 p.m. The SHIELD Act will get a hearing in the education committee at 3 p.m.