Senate Bill No. 450, introduced by Senator Edmonds, aims to enhance school safety by mandating the reporting of threats of violence or terrorism in K-12 schools. The bill requires school employees to report any threats to local law enforcement and, if applicable, to the school administrator. Local law enforcement agencies must report these threats to the Louisiana Fusion Center within seven days, ensuring that personally identifiable information is excluded. The bill also provides immunity from liability for individuals reporting threats and for law enforcement agencies that fail to report within the specified timeframe.

Starting January 1, 2027, the Fusion Center will conduct physical security assessments of public elementary and secondary schools every three years, with nonpublic and charter schools able to request assessments as well. These assessments will be provided at no cost and will include recommendations for security upgrades. While schools are not required to implement these recommendations, they may apply for grants to fund enhancements identified in the assessments. The bill also establishes confidentiality protections for the assessments, ensuring they are not subject to public records laws or admissible in civil proceedings. Additionally, it expands exemptions for public records disclosure to include physical security assessments, with changes taking effect on August 1, 2026, and amendments to several sections of the law, including R.S. 17:409.3 and R.S. 44:4.1.

Statutes affected:
SB450 Original: 17:3(A), 29:6(B)(2), 44:1(B)(9)