Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill Tuesday in Tallahassee to make classrooms safer for Florida's children. The Governor's Office says steps taken by HB 1421 build on legislation over the last three years to implement the additional recommendations of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. The twin goals are to make schools safer and improve youth mental health in Florida.
“Every child needs a safe and secure learning environment,” Governor DeSantis said. “By signing HB 1421, we continue to build on the many steps we have taken since 2019 to implement the recommendations of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission, while also making record investments in mental health and school safety.”
In the Freedom First Budget, the governor signed off on a record $140 million for mental health and $210 million for school safety, including school hardening grants and youth mental health awareness and assistance training.
“This legislation is a huge leap forward in school safety,” State Board of Education Member Ryan Petty said. “I want to thank Governor DeSantis for his bold leadership on this most fundamental issue. Nothing is more important than providing safe and secure learning environments for our children and educators. Extending the Commission’s work and requiring mental health and de-escalation training for safe-school officers will make a major difference in mitigating the risk of a future tragedy.”
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