Effective: September 29, 2015
Latest Legislation: House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly
(A) The board of building standards shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, for the use of a device by a staff member of a public or private school or institution of higher education that prevents both ingress and egress through a door in a school building, for a finite period of time, in an emergency situation, and during active shooter drills. The rules shall provide that the use of a device is permissible only if the device requires minimal steps to remove it after it is engaged.
The rules shall provide that the administrative authority of a building notify the police chief, or equivalent, of the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the building, and the fire chief, or equivalent, of the fire department that serves the political subdivision in which the building is located, prior to the use of such devices in a building.
The rules may require that the device be visible from the exterior of the door.
(B) The device described in division (A) of this section shall not be permanently mounted to the door.
(C) Each public and private school and institution of higher education shall provide its staff members in-service training on the use of the device described in division (A) of this section. The school shall maintain a record verifying this training on file.
(D) In consultation with the state board of education and the chancellor of higher education, the board shall determine and include in the rules a definition of "emergency situation." These rules shall apply to both existing and new school buildings.
(E) As used in this section:
(1) "Institution of higher education" means a state institution of higher education as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code, a private nonprofit college or university located in this state that possesses a certificate of authorization issued pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code, or a school located in this state that possesses a certificate of registration and one or more program authorizations issued by the state board of career colleges and schools under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code.
(2) "Private school" means a chartered nonpublic school or a nonchartered nonpublic school.
(3) "Public school" means any school operated by a school district board of education, any community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, any STEM school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code, and any college-preparatory boarding school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised Code.
(4) "School building" means a structure used for the instruction of students by a public or private school or institution of higher education.