MICHIGAN, USA — Amid calls for increased school security, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign a bill Friday that would improve safety measures in Michigan schools, as well as further support the Oxford Community Schools district.
House Bill 6012 is a bipartisan bill that would help school districts assess their risk level with the current level of campus safety in place. Districts can then find where additional safety measures are needed.
Next, the bill will help schools create and update effective emergency plans. $14 million will be granted to public schools, intermediate districts and private schools in Michigan. These $2,000 grants will be used for the risk assessments and safety planning.
“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.
House Bill 6012 also aims to support the Oxford school district, where a gunman killed four students and injured seven others, including a teacher, in November 2021.
The bill allocates funding to hire more mental health experts, increase school security and offer additional learning time for students whose education was impacted by the shooting.
“Today we are also proud to deliver necessary resources to Oxford Community Schools so they can hire more mental health staff and offer additional learning time to their students as they recover from the horrific shooting last year," Gov. Whitmer said. "I know we can continue working together to make sure we are supporting our students, including improving public safety measures to keep violent criminals out of our schools and off our streets, funding effective law enforcement solutions, and storing firearms safely. Let’s get it done.”
House Bill 6012 was sponsored by Rep. Pamela Hornberger (R-Chesterfield), a former public school teacher.
To read the full bill, click here.
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