Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

SESSION OF 2023
    SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2278
         As Amended by House Committee on Education

Brief*
      HB 2278, as amended, would require the Kansas State
Department of Education (KSDE) to audit each school
district’s plans to maintain safe and secure buildings and to
conduct on-site inspections to determine compliance with the
district’s safe and secure policies and procedures and state
safe and secure school standards. The bill also would
establish reporting requirements for the audits and
inspections.

Audits and Inspections
     The bill would require the KSDE to conduct an audit of
each school district’s policies and procedures for maintaining
safe and secure school buildings during school year 2024-
2025. The bill would require each audit to include all policies
and procedures relating to the Kansas Safe and Secure
Schools Standards adopted by the State Board of Education.
      The bill would also require, beginning in school year
2024-2025 and in subsequent school years, the KSDE to
conduct an on-site inspection of at least ten school districts to
determine compliance with the district’s policies and
procedures for maintaining safe and secure schools buildings
and the state standards. The districts selected for inspection
must be selected in a manner that ensures diversity based on
the size of each district’s student enrollment.

____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
Reports to the Legislature
     The bill would establish two reporting requirements on
the KSDE:
     ●    On or before January 15, 2026, the KSDE must
          prepare and submit a report on the results of the
          safe and secure plan audits to the standing
          committees on Education; and
     ●    On or before January 15, 2026, and each January
          15 thereafter, the KSDE must prepare and submit a
          report on the results of the on-site inspections to
          the same standing committees.
Confidentiality; Legislative Review
      The bill would provide that the results of audits and on-
site inspections and the reports prepared relating to these
results are confidential and not subject to the requirements of
the Kansas Open Records Act (KSA 45-215 et seq.). These
confidentiality provisions will expire on July 1, 2028, unless
the Legislature acts to reenact the provisions. The bill would
further provide these provisions shall be reviewed by the
Legislature prior to July 1, 2028.

Background
      Provisions of 2018 House Sub. for SB 109 (an
appropriations bill) directed the State Board of Education to
develop and adopt statewide standards for school safety and
security plans to be adopted by each school district. This law
prescribed items to be addressed by the standards, including
training of school district employees on school safety and
security policies and procedures, procedures for securing
school buildings during an emergency situation, and
coordination and incorporation of school safety and security
plans with existing school district emergency response plans.
The State Board was directed to consult with the Office of the
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Adjutant General, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the
Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the State
Fire Marshal, and other state agencies it deemed necessary.
The State Board also was permitted to consult with any local
agencies and school boards. The bill required the adopted
standards to be provided to school districts by January 1,
2019.
    HB 2278 was introduced by the House Committee on
Education at the request of Representative Thomas.

House Committee on Education
     In the House Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by a representative of the Kansas Association
of School Boards and the Kansas National Education
Association. The proponent stated the audits would continue
to enhance efforts to keep students, educators, and staff safe
at school.
     No other testimony was provided.
     The House Committee amended the bill to delay, by one
year, the school years and calendar dates specified for
audits, inspections, and reporting requirements. The
amendment also added confidentiality provisions for the
results of audits and inspections and the related reports of
these results.

Fiscal Information
     According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, as introduced, KSDE indicates
enactment of the bill would require expenditures totaling
$255,000 from the State General Fund, beginning in FY
2024. Of this amount, $240,000 would be for 3.00 FTE
auditors at a cost of $80,000 each (including fringe benefits),
as well as $15,000 for other operating expenditures for these

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positions, including computers, travel and subsistence
expenditures, and other administrative expenses. Any fiscal
effect associated with the bill is not reflected in The FY 2024
Governor’s Budget Report. [Note: The bill, as amended by
House Committee, would delay the requirements for audits,
inspections, and reporting by one year.]
Education; schools; State Department of Education; Safe and Secure school
standards; audits; confidentiality; Legislature


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