Education (Emergency Management)

HD 1603 requires Massachusetts public schools to implement a minimum one-hour annual emergency preparedness program for students and faculty. The program, developed jointly by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, covers planning and response for weather events, natural disasters, viruses, and human-made emergencies. It directly affects all K-12 schools and their staff by mandating this educational component within the school year. The bill creates a concrete policy change by establishing this recurring, state-mandated instructional requirement.