Bill
HB 4222
Requires standardized school emergency operations plans and crisis teams; initial EOP review by July 1, 2026, with updates every three years; nonpublic schools may opt out.
Status / key dates
- Introduced: March 12, 2025 (Rep. Kathy Schmaltz).
- Passed House (with substitute H‑3): May 14, 2025 (Roll Call 80–26). Given immediate effect May 20, 2025. Referred to Committee on Education in the next chamber.
Purpose
- Modify and expand school safety requirements in the Revised School Code (amends MCL 380.1308b) by (1) standardizing emergency operations plan (EOP) review/adoption timelines for public and nonpublic schools, (2) requiring school crisis teams, and (3) requiring EOPs to address temporary locking devices/systems where applicable.
Major provisions
- Review/adoption deadlines and frequency
- By not later than July 1, 2026, every school (public and nonpublic, subject to an opt‑out described below) must conduct an EOP review with at least one local law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the school.
- After that initial review, EOPs must be updated and reviewed at least once every three school years (replaces prior biennial review requirement).
- Nonpublic schools
- Nonpublic schools are included but the governing body of a nonpublic school may elect to exempt the school from the section’s requirements.
- Nonpublic schools (unless exempted) must follow the same notice, review, and update schedules as public schools.
- EOP content requirements (must include at minimum)
- Responses to school violence, threats, bomb threats, fire, weather emergencies, intruders, threats to school events, reunification plans, active violence protocols, continuity of operations, vulnerability assessments, training plans (including mental health/teacher safety), and plans to improve building security.
- Specific requirement to include guidelines on the installation/use of temporary locking devices or systems (where installed).
- School crisis teams
- By July 1, 2026, each governing board must ensure each school has a crisis team responsible for lockdowns, assisting evacuations, and overseeing parent/pupil reunification.
- Minimum members: principal; assistant principal if available; school resource officer (if available); school safety/security personnel (if available); and other appropriate school personnel (as determined by the principal).
- Notices and coordination
- Schools must notify the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) of completed reviews and of adoption/updates within 30 days (form/manner prescribed by MDE).
- MDE will annually provide the Department of State Police (Office of School Safety) a list of schools that have not developed or updated EOPs; the office will coordinate with local law enforcement to notify governing bodies.
- Confidentiality
- Adopted/updated EOPs and related information provided to state agencies are confidential and exempt from FOIA.
Who is affected
- Public school districts, intermediate school districts (ISDs), public school academies (PSAs/charter schools), and nonpublic schools (unless the nonpublic governing body opts out).
- Michigan Department of Education, Department of State Police (Office of School Safety), and local law enforcement agencies.
- School leaders, safety/security staff, students, parents, and school personnel involved in crisis teams and plan implementation.
Potential fiscal impact
- State agencies (MDE, Department of State Police) could incur increased administrative costs to track additional EOPs (over 600 nonpublic schools).
- Local districts/PSAs/ISDs may face costs to install temporary locking devices/systems where not already present; the formation of crisis teams is expected to be absorbed via existing staff time.
- Local law enforcement could incur added workload and costs to assist nonpublic schools with EOP development/reviews to meet the July 1, 2026 deadline.
Notes
- The House adopted substitute versions during committee and floor consideration; the final House-passed text (H‑3) contains the opt‑out for nonpublic schools and the three-year review cycle.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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