School Safety Plan Requirement Advances to Senate Floor

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A legislative committee has approved a measure that would require South Dakota schools to have safety plans in place for potential violent incidents such as shootings.

The Senate Education committee unanimously supported the proposal. It now heads to the full chamber.

Republican Sen. Larry Tidemann says his bill is necessary because "the landscape has changed." He says South Dakota "isn't immune" to lockdowns, citing incidents such as the shooting injury of the Harrisburg High School principal last year.

The measure would require schools to have plans by August. The plans would be put together by a school safety team including the principal and law enforcement, among others.

It would also require schools to conduct lockdown drills annually. A similar measure passed the Senate last session before failing in the House.