Summary of SF 5210 (2025-2026) – Minnesota
Category: Education, Public Safety, School Safety
Jurisdiction: Minnesota
Bill Title: School safety plans enhancement
Status: Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety (as introduced 04/23/2026)
Sponsor: Senator Kunesh (co-sponsor: Mary Kunesh-Podein)
Effective Date: Various sections have separate effective dates; generally “day after final enactment” for some provisions, with other sections taking effect July 1, 2026 or August 1, 2028, as noted. Annual reporting begins January 15, 2029 for certain data.
1) Purpose and Intent
SF 5210 aims to strengthen school safety across Minnesota by:
- Enhancing school safety planning and crisis management coordination.
- Establishing or promoting a statewide anonymous threat reporting system (and local options).
- Modifying conditions under which firearms are permitted on school property.
- Providing additional funding for student support personnel.
- Requiring reports and establishing procedures to monitor implementation.
2) Key Provisions and Changes
A. Crisis Management Policy and Integration (Section 1)
- Updates to Crisis Management Policy requirements (121A.035).
- Mandates school boards/charter schools adopt a crisis management policy addressing violent crisis situations.
- Policy development must be done cooperatively with a broad set of stakeholders (administrators, teachers, students, families, law enforcement, social services, etc.).
- Policy must include: at least five lockdown drills, five fire drills, and one tornado drill.
- Optional: School boards may adopt the model cardiac emergency response plan provided by the commissioner.
- Encourages integration with the school safety plan under section 121A.036, as practicable.
B. School Safety Plans (Section 2)
- Establishes the Minnesota School Safety Center (MSC) role:
- Develops an evidence-based model school safety plan.
- Develops criteria for what qualifies as “evidence-based.”
- Produces a public report identifying districts/charters that have adopted evidence-based plans; to be posted publicly and reported to legislative committees by December 1, 2028, and every two years thereafter.
- May provide consulting services to districts/charters for plan development.
- May consult with the Department of Education’s mental health services lead.
- Model Plan (Subd. 2):
- MSC must maintain and publish an evidence-based model plan no later than September 1, 2026.
- Third-party evidence-based plans may be made available to school boards.
- Evidence-Based Definition (Subd. 3):
- Requires strong/moderate/promising evidence based on specified study designs and quality, or a high-quality rationale with ongoing evaluation.
- Local School Safety Plan (Subd. 4):
- School boards must adopt an evidence-based local safety plan to prevent human-caused incidents; integrate with the crisis management policy where practical.
- Beginning August 1, 2028, districts/charters that have not adopted an evidence-based local safety plan must submit one to the MSC annually.
- Nonpublic (private) schools are encouraged to develop such a plan.
- Effective Date: Section 2 becomes effective upon final enactment.
C. Anonymous Threat Reporting System (Section 3)
- Definition: The bill defines “evidence-based” as in 121A.036.
- Local Anonymous Threat Reporting System (Starting July 1, 2028):
- Districts/charters must use the state DPS anonymous threat reporting system or implement their own local system meeting specified requirements.
- Local systems must include: 24/7 anonymous reporting via an app, multilingual crisis center, crisis staff trained in evidence-based counseling/intervention, prompt forwarding to appropriate school-based teams, coordinated responses with 911 and law enforcement, training for school-based teams, public awareness/education, and violence-prevention training addressing signs of self-harm.
- Local systems must also provide:
- A website educating about the system.
- A toll-free hotline for anonymous tips.
- A school-based team at each site (minimum three employees) to receive reports.
- Annual reporting to the Commissioner of Education on system type and primary contacts.
- If a district already has a local system prior to enactment, it may continue but must meet the new requirements upon review.
- Nonpublic schools may implement a local system but are not fully bound by these subdivision requirements.
- Statewide System Requirements (Subd. 3):
- If a district does not implement a local system, it must inform stakeholders about the DPS statewide system (website, student handbook, annual parental notification).
- DOE Role (Subd. 4):
- The Department of Education, with DPS, must provide a list of third-party providers that meet requirements.
- By Jan 15, 2029, and annually thereafter, DOE must report districts/charters that have implemented a local system and those that have not.
- Funding (Subd. 5):
- Funding for these systems may come from public or private sources, including state or federal funds.
- Effective Date: July 1, 2026 for this section.
D. Student Support Personnel Aid (Section 4)
- Amends Minnesota Statutes 124D.901, Subd. 3:
- Defines initial student support personnel aid for independent/special school districts and for charters.
- Sets baseline amounts (greater of certain product of student count and allowance, or fixed dollar amounts: $40,000 for districts, $20,000 for charters).
- Requires reserve in a fund balance with caps starting in 2025.
- Establishes a schedule for the student support personnel allowance: $17.08 (FY2025), $30.05 (FY2026-2027), $34.32 (FY2028 onward).
- Sets cooperative administration amounts and allocation rules if a district participates in multiple cooperatives.
- Effective: Fiscal year 2025 (with stipulations on reserves) and later.
E. Firearm Possession on School Property (Section 5)
Amends Minnesota Statutes 609.66, Subd. 1d:
- Reiterates penalties for possession of dangerous weapons on school property (felony up to 5 years or $10,000 fine), with numerous exceptions.
- Exceptions include:
- Active licensed peace officers, on-duty military personnel, persons authorized to carry in a vehicle or to place a firearm, gun safety/marshall activities, ceremonial color guards, and certain events (e.g., gun shows) with conditions.
- Specific allowances for compliance with secure storage and other regulations when authorized to carry on school property.
Definitions clarified for BB guns, replica firearms, and “school property” (expanded to include school grounds, child care centers on site, buses, and certain leased spaces with posted notices).
Authorized exemptions do not apply to some restrictions; storage requirements apply for those who are authorized to carry when not on duty or when not engaged in the authorized activity.
Effective: Immediate upon enactment for certain sections; storage/storage requirements apply when authorized.
F. Appropriation (Section 6)
- A placeholder appropriation is listed: funds to the Department of Education for additional student support personnel aid in FY 2027 (amount not specified in the introduced text).
3) Who Would Be Affected
- School districts and charter schools: required to adopt and implement enhanced crisis management policies, evidence-based school safety plans, and (beginning 2028) annual submissions of safety plans to the MSC if not previously adopted.
- School Safety Center (MSC) within the Department of Public Safety: new/expanded authority to develop model plans, determine evidence-based criteria, publish reports, provide consulting, and coordinate with the Department of Education.
- Students, families, and school staff: indirectly affected through enhanced safety planning, threat reporting mechanisms, and violence prevention training.
- Local communities and 911/law enforcement: coordinated response requirements for anonymous threat reports.
- Private/nonpublic schools: encouraged to adopt evidence-based safety plans; subject to some provisions but with different requirements.
- Individuals with firearm permissions on school property: subject to clarified conditions and secure storage requirements where applicable.
4) Procedural and Timeline Highlights
- Model and evidence-based plan development: MSC must publish the model plan by Sept 1, 2026; criteria for “evidence-based” to be established; reporting on adoption by Dec 1, 2028, and every two years thereafter.
- Local safety plan submissions: Beginning August 1, 2028, districts/charters not yet with an evidence-based plan must submit to MSC annually.
- Anonymous threat reporting: July 1, 2028, rollout of local systems or reliance on state system; local systems require specific capabilities and reporting. Statewide information required if no local system.
- Reporting and oversight: DOE to publish annual lists of districts with/without local anonymous threat reporting systems starting Jan 15, 2029.
- Funding: Potential new funding for student support personnel aid (specific appropriation to be determined).
This summary covers the bill’s core aims, major provisions, impacted entities, and notable timelines. If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with current law or assemble a FAQ for school administrators and policymakers.
