Press Releases

Congressman French Hill (AR-02) issued the following statement after supporting a measure to help protect students, parents, teachers, and others at school:

“Central Arkansas families deserve to know that their kids are safe and secure at school. As a father of a high school student and college student, this issue hits close to home. It makes no sense that we protect our airports, homes, and businesses, but don’t adequately protect our own kids and teachers at school. We took action in the House today by passing legislation that dedicated $75 million to strengthening protocols, training, and other vital components of school security. This is just a first step to enhance the safety of our students, parents, teachers, and others.

“Our children should feel safe everywhere they go in America - especially in our schools. Sixteen days ago, I joined the Arkansas Congressional Delegation in a meeting with Governor Asa Hutchinson to discuss ways to make our schools safer. In 2015, Arkansas passed legislation to enable Arkansas schools to improve security by certifying personnel to be licensed as a commissioned school security officer. Nineteen schools, including three in central Arkansas, have taken advantage of this program. Also, yesterday, Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and I met with White House Domestic Policy Council staff at the White House to discuss this program, and other suggestions, in preparation for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ upcoming school security commission – and I look forward to continuing this discussion and finding ways to increase school safety and security throughout the country.”

Background:

The STOP School Violence Act, H.R. 4909, creates a grant program to train students, teachers, school officials, and local law enforcement how to identify and intervene early when signs of violence arise, creates a coordinated reporting system, and implements FBI and Secret Service-based school threat assessment protocols to prevent school shootings before they happen. The legislation authorizes funding for:

• Evidence-based investments in the development and operation of FBI and Secret Service-based school threat assessment teams to help schools to intake and triage threats before tragedy strikes.
• Implementation of anonymous reporting systems for students in coordination with local law enforcement.
• Training and technical assistance for students, school personnel, and law enforcement to identify signs of violence and intervene early to prevent students from hurting themselves and others.
• Facilitating coordination between schools and local law enforcement.
• Measures at the discretion of the Director that may provide significant improvement in school security.