AB 44

This bill provides that the Department of Safety and Professional Services may

not prohibit, and a city, village, or town may not enact or enforce an ordinance that

prohibits, a public or private elementary or secondary school from installing a

barricade device on an interior door in the school building. The bill defines a

“barricade device” as an anchoring mechanism installed on the interior side of a door

that does all of the following:

1. When engaged, secures the door against forced entry.

2. May be disengaged by an individual on the interior side of the door without

the use of a key or special tool.

3. May be disengaged by an individual on the exterior side of the door with a

key or special tool or by electrical or electronic means.

4. Does not alter any door closer hardware, panic hardware, or fire exit

hardware.

The bill also provides that, before installing a barricade device in a school

building, a school must obtain approval in writing from the local fire department and

local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the school building.

Under current law, all school boards and governing bodies of private schools

must have a school safety plan in effect that includes certain information and must

provide school safety plan training to certain persons. The bill requires that a school

safety plan also must include guidelines for the use of any barricade device installed

in a school building or facility and that school safety plan training must include

training on the use of any barricade device installed in a school building or facility.