Whitmer to sign bill to protect students, fund school safety

LANSING, Mich. (WLUC) - Governor Gretchen Whitmer will sign a bill to make an investment in school safety to help protect students and create safety plans in the event of an emergency.

House Bill 6012 also fully funds resources to hire and retain mental health professionals, enhance security measures and provide additional learning opportunities for Oxford Community Schools.

“I am proud to sign this bill to help keep students safe. This bill represents a true collaboration between the legislature, my office, community members, and school leadership to make sure our schools have the tools they need to protect students in cases of school shootings or other critical incidents,” said Gov. Whitmer.

The legislation will fund risk assessments and critical incidence mapping to better protect students at school.

“We carefully listened to the needs expressed by Oxford and worked with them to provide the tools they need to recover from the lasting impact of the tragedy that students, staff and the building itself withstood,” said State Representative Hornberger (R-Chesterfield), a former public school teacher. “This funding plan will help obtain and retain mental health professionals necessary to help with trauma response, help cover legal and public relations costs, provide enhanced security features, cover costs for damage to school property during the shooting, and more.”

Though targeted to help Oxford students, families and the community, the bill provides funding to build security plans for all Michigan schools.

“The passage of House Bill 6012 marks a significant milestone for the Oxford school community,” said Oakland Schools Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson. “Our children, parents, and educators have been impacted by trauma. While there is a long road ahead, we are comforted by the support we have received from the Michigan Legislature. This funding will help the Oxford school community obtain the tools necessary to recover from the lasting impact of the tragedy faced by students and staff.”

The legislation includes a total of $14 million that will be awarded to all schools, including traditional public, intermediate school districts, and private schools, for $2,000 grants to complete a comprehensive safety and security assessment. The grants will be administered by the Department of Education. The bill also directly invests in Oxford Community Schools to help them recover from the shooting late last year. It will help them hire mental health professionals, enhance security, and offer additional learning time to students lost in the wake of the tragedy.

House Bill 6012 was sponsored by Rep. Pamela Hornberger, R–Chesterfield, and a copy can be found here.