Sec. 14. (a) As used in this section, “division” refers to the division of school building physical security and safety established by subsection (c).

     (b) As used in this section, “physical security” refers to security measures that are designed to deny unauthorized access to a building or facility, including equipment and resources, and to protect individuals and property from damage or harm.

     (c) The division of school building physical security and safety is established within the department.

     (d) The division shall:

(1) establish and maintain guidelines for using professional architectural and engineering services to integrate physical security improvements and safety practices in the construction, renovation, repair, or alteration of a school facility;

(2) carry out the department’s responsibilities with regards to the school safety specialist training and certification program established in IC 10-21-1-13;

(3) establish and maintain guidelines for establishing emergency response protocols in cooperation with other state agencies;

(4) carry out the department’s responsibilities to safe school committees under IC 10-21-1-14;

(5) coordinate the department’s response and recovery assistance to a school in the event of a manmade or natural disaster;

(6) provide information and guidance to assist school corporations or schools to establish mutual aid disaster assistance agreements with other schools or school corporations;

(7) study and collect information to integrate lessons learned from previous school disasters throughout the country into the curriculum of the school safety specialist training and certification program established in IC 10-21-1-13 and guidelines established by the division under this subsection;

(8) establish and maintain guidelines, in consultation with the department of homeland security and institute for criminal justice, for developing and maintaining school safety plans as described in IC 10-21-1-10 and IC 10-21-1-11; and

(9) assist the secured school safety board established by IC 10-21-1-3 in conducting the review and submitting the report as described in IC 10-21-1-8.

     (e) The division may:

(1) request a meeting with a school corporation or charter school to review a school safety plan as described in IC 10-21-1-10;

(2) request to provide an onsite safety review for a school corporation or charter school;

(3) request to provide guidance or assistance relating to school safety matters to a school corporation or charter school;

(4) provide assistance or guidance relating to school safety matters upon request by a nonpublic school that has voluntarily become accredited under IC 20-31-4.1 or is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency that is recognized by the state board; and

(5) provide assistance or guidance relating to school safety matters upon request by a county school safety commission under IC 10-21-1-12.

     (f) The division shall maintain a secure Internet web site to provide school officials and public safety officials access to information that is considered classified under IC 5-14-3-4(b)(1), IC 5-14-3-4(b)(18), and IC 5-14-3-4(b)(19) or other sensitive information that may assist school officials and public safety officials in improving school safety or responding to a manmade or natural disaster.

     (g) The division shall maintain a public website that contains:

(1) the guidelines established by the division under subsection (d);

(2) best practices pertaining to school safety; and

(3) any other information the division determines may be necessary to carry out the division’s duties or responsibilities under this section.

As added by P.L.36-2014, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.150-2023, SEC.18.