Illinois State House District 105 issued the following announcement on Aug. 27.
Legislation just signed into law will assist school districts in locking down classrooms in the event of an active shooter situation. Public Act 101-0548 was spearheaded in the House by State Representative Dan Brady (R-Normal). It will allow the use of additional door barricade or locking mechanisms to help staff to more quickly and safely secure classroom doors to prevent entry by an active shooter present in the building.
“I am very pleased that this potentially life-saving measure was signed into law in time for the start of the new school year,” Rep. Brady said. “Our schools need to be safe havens from any threats of violence, and this new law will help make sure that classrooms can be quickly locked down in an emergency.”
Rep. Brady said the change was brought to the General Assembly by a local school Superintendent. He noted that in some local school buildings, locking a classroom door requires staff to insert a key in the door’s outside lock.
“That means teachers have to go out into the hallway to lock their classroom door. In an active shooter situation that’s very dangerous…and it also takes precious moments that may not be available. This new measure allows for the quick placement of a simple barricade device that will secure the classroom from the inside.”
The new law was sponsored in the Senate by Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet).
Original source can be found here.
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