Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to ensure that safety assessments are conducted on all public schools located in St. Louis City or St. Louis County

SB 966 - This act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to ensure that every public school and public charter school located in St. Louis City or St. Louis County conducts an annual safety assessment of such public school or public charter school. The Department of Public Safety (DPS), local law enforcement, and local emergency services shall provide reasonable assistance to public schools and public charter schools in order to implement the provisions of the act. The safety assessments shall include a consideration of each school's vulnerabilities to school shootings and intruders, with specific reference to the implementation of various safety procedures, policies, and tools specified in the act. Each public school and public charter school that conducts an annual safety assessment pursuant to the provisions of the act shall provide a report of the findings of the safety assessment to DESE. Based upon the findings of the safety assessments, DESE, in conjunction with DPS, shall provide to each public school and public charter school an annual report that summarizes such school's safety vulnerabilities, along with recommendations for mitigating such vulnerabilities. Such report shall also be provided to the General Assembly. A report created pursuant to the provisions of this act shall not be considered a public record under the Sunshine Law and shall not be available for public inspection. This act shall become effective July 1, 2028. This act is identical to SB 42 (2025) and similar to SCS/SB 1153 (2024) and HB 2398 (2024). OLIVIA SHANNON