School safety measure signed by president

A bipartisan proposal focused on improving school safety introduced by U.S. Representatives Mike Bost, R-Ill., and Brad Schneider, D-Ill., was signed into law March 23 by President Donald Trump as part of a federal omnibus spending bill.  

The Congressmen said in a news release that the legislation will help schools acquire panic buttons, offering a more immediate method of notifying law enforcement and first responders in cases of classroom violence, medical emergency, or natural disaster.

“As a former first responder, I know response time is vitally important during emergency situations,” Bost said. 

“Seconds, let alone minutes, can mean the difference between life and death. We have panic buttons in banks, office buildings, and retail locations, there is no reason we shouldn’t have them at our schools to protect our children. 

“I’m proud to see this bipartisan, common sense proposal to protect our kids signed into law.”

“We have a fundamental responsibility to protect our children and young people where they learn,” Schneider said. 

“I am proud to see our bipartisan legislation become law and offer schools an additional layer of security in emergency situations. 

“This should be just the start of our work here in Congress on solutions to reduce gun violence and improve student safety, and will continue to push to build on this progress in the days ahead.”

Bost and Schneider both had previously spoken on the U.S. House floor in support of the measure. 

In January, the Securing Our Schools legislation was endorsed by the National Sheriffs’ Association and the National Education Association.