Bill Text: CT HB06655 | 2013 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Campus Safety And Security.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-04-15 - File Number 516 [HB06655 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2013-HB06655-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
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January Session, 2013 |
*_____HB06655HED___032813____* |
AN ACT CONCERNING CAMPUS SAFETY AND SECURITY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10a-156a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
[Each] (a) Not later than October 1, 2013, each constituent unit of the state system of higher education and each independent [college or university] institution of higher education, as defined in section 10a-37, as amended by this act, shall submit [a plan described in this section to the Department of Higher Education by January 1, 2009] an up-to-date security protocol plan to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Such plan shall identify procedures specifically designed to heighten awareness by all faculty and staff regarding potentially at-risk students and other individuals on campus through effective educational strategies. Such procedures shall be designed to educate faculty and staff on how to recognize and respond to students and such other individuals who may be at risk of harm to themselves or others. Not later than July 1, 2015, and biennially thereafter, each constituent unit and independent institution of higher education shall review the security protocol plan with each of its chiefs of police or heads of campus security to determine whether such plan adequately addresses campus security concerns or requires revisions. In the event that revisions are required, the constituent unit or independent institution of higher education making revisions shall submit a revised security protocol plan to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection not later than August first of the year in which revisions are deemed necessary.
(b) Not later than January 1, 2014, each constituent unit and independent institution of higher education shall establish a trained threat assessment team for each of its campuses. The threat assessment team shall consist of individuals selected by the president of each state college, regional community-technical college or independent institution of higher education in consultation with its chief of police or head of campus security and may include not less than one member of its special police force or campus security personnel, administration, faculty and senior and mid-level staff. The chief of police or head of campus security at each state college, regional community-technical college and independent institution of higher education shall be responsible for ensuring that every member of the threat assessment team (1) is capable of executing the security protocol plan developed in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, and (2) receives comprehensive training in identifying potentially at-risk students, other potentially at-risk individuals on campus and any other potential threats to campus safety.
Sec. 2. Section 10a-142 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) There are established special police forces for The University of Connecticut at Storrs and its several campuses, The University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic and Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. The members of each special police force shall have the same duties, responsibilities and authority under sections 7-281, 14-8, 54-1f and 54-33a and title 53a as members of a duly organized local police department. The jurisdiction of said special police forces shall extend to the geographical limits of the property owned or under the control of the above institutions, and to property occupied by The University of Connecticut in the town of Mansfield, except as provided in subsection (b) of section 7-277a.
(b) Members of said special police forces shall continue to be state employees and, except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 67, and parts III and IV of this chapter. The provisions of part V of chapter 104 and section 7-433c shall not apply to such members.
(c) Said special police forces shall have access to, and use of, the Connecticut on-line law enforcement communications teleprocessing system without charge.
(d) The chief executive officer of any institution listed in subsection (a) of this section which maintains a special police force may enter into an agreement with one or more of said other institutions which maintain a special police force to furnish or receive police assistance under the same conditions and terms specified in subsection (a) of section 7-277a.
(e) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 67, the Board of Regents for Higher Education shall determine (A) the preliminary requirements, including educational qualifications, for members of the special police forces for the state colleges, and (B) the timeline for filling any vacancies on any of such special police forces, including, but not limited to, when an examination for a vacant position shall occur and how soon after the examination is conducted shall an appointment to a vacant position be made or, in the event an examination for a vacant position is unnecessary due to a sufficient candidate list provided in accordance with section 5-215a, when an appointment of a candidate from such candidate list shall be made.
(2) Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 67, the Board of Trustees of The University of Connecticut shall determine (A) the preliminary requirements, including educational qualifications, for members of the special police force for The University of Connecticut, and (B) the timeline for filling any vacancies on such police force, including, but not limited to, when an examination for a vacant position shall occur and how soon after the examination is conducted shall an appointment to a vacant position be made or, in the event an examination for a vacant position is unnecessary due to a sufficient candidate list provided in accordance with section 5-215a, when an appointment of a candidate from such candidate list shall be made.
Sec. 3. (Effective from passage) (a) The Board of Regents for Higher Education, in consultation with the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, shall evaluate the effectiveness of establishing a special police force for each regional community-technical college and replacing campus security personnel at each regional community-technical college with the special police force. Not later than January 1, 2014, the president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, on such evaluation to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education.
(b) The Board of Regents for Higher Education shall develop a coordinated security plan for the Connecticut State University System and the regional community-technical college system. Not later than January 1, 2014, the president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, on such plan to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education.
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Any armed security personnel of any public institution of higher education or armed member of a special police force established under section 10a-142 of the general statutes shall be certified under the provision of sections 7-294a to 7-294e, inclusive, of the general statutes.
Sec. 5. (Effective from passage) (a) Not later than December 1, 2014, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall conduct or contract with a third party to conduct a safety and security audit of every campus of the constituent units identified in subdivisions (1) to (4), inclusive, of section 10a-1 of the general statutes, to determine the safety and security characteristics of each campus and any building or structure located thereon. Such security audit shall be conducted in cooperation with the Board of Regents for Higher Education or, for a safety and security audit of any campus of The University of Connecticut, with the Board of Trustees of The University of Connecticut.
(b) Any recommendations for safety or security upgrades in any such safety and security audit shall be based on the audit's findings and, at a minimum, shall enable the constituent unit to successfully implement its security protocol plan developed in accordance with section 10a-156a of the general statutes, as amended by this act.
(c) Not later than January 1, 2015, the department shall report on such audits to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education.
Sec. 6. (Effective from passage) The sum of two hundred thousand dollars is appropriated to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, for performing or contracting with a third party to perform safety and security audits of every campus of each constituent unit identified in subdivisions (1) to (4) of section 10a-1 of the general statutes in accordance with section 5 of this act.
Sec. 7. Subsection (d) of section 10a-37 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(d) An ["independent college or university"] "independent institution of higher education": (1) Is a nonprofit institution established in this state; (2) has degree-granting authority in this state; (3) has its home campus located in this state; (4) is not included in the Connecticut system of public higher education; and (5) is an institution whose primary function is not the preparation of students for religious vocation;
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
from passage |
10a-156a |
Sec. 2 |
from passage |
10a-142 |
Sec. 3 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 4 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 5 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 6 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 7 |
from passage |
10a-37(d) |
HED |
Joint Favorable Subst. |