H.R. 2352 would enhance the safety of elementary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education.
Detailed Summary
School Safety Enhancements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: (1) allow the placement and use of surveillance equipment in schools under the matching grant program for public elementary and secondary school security; (2) allow the use of grant funds to establish hotlines or tiplines for reporting potentially dangerous students and situations and for making capital improvements to make school facilities more secure; (3) set the federal matching share of program costs at 80%; and (4) revise application requirements for school security grants.
Requires the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Secretary of Education to establish an interagency task force to develop and promulgate advisory school safety guidelines.
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require each institution of higher education participating in any program under title IV (Student Assistance) of that Act to: (1) conduct an annual campus safety assessment in consultation with local law enforcement officials; and (2) develop and implement a campus emergency response plan that addresses a comprehensive set of emergency situations, including natural disasters, active shooter situations, and terrorism.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 9/22/2008: Received in the Senate.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Entrench
Needless spending. The Department of Education is already dramatically over funded and any security cost should be carried by the school district in their existing budget not the federal government. Also most schools receive security from SRO's (Student Resource Officers) from local law enforcement already.