After months of emotional debate and negotiation, Georgia lawmakers have given final approval to House Bill 268, a comprehensive school safety bill prompted by the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4th. The bill now heads to Governor Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. The legislation aims to improve communication and mental health support within school districts, while also implementing stricter safety protocols. It mandates police reporting to schools when a child threatens violence, facilitates quicker student record transfers, establishes a statewide anonymous reporting system, requires staff to wear panic buttons, and mandates the annual submission of electronic campus maps to relevant agencies. A contentious student-tracking database was scaled back, but the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) will create a statewide alert system for students who have threatened or committed violence at school after an investigation. The bill also toughens legal consequences for students aged 13 to 16 charged with violent crimes at school. While lawmakers express relief and necessity for the bill, concerns remain about potential misuse and the lack of guaranteed funding for the alert system’s implementation. Discussions about funding, with the House proposing $25 million and the Senate yet to agree, will continue in the coming days.
