CT HB07077

Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection must develop standardized definitions, terminology, crisis response protocols, and evaluation templates for school crisis response drills by April 1, 2026, in collaboration with the Connecticut Center for School Safety and Crisis Prevention at Western Connecticut State University

Schools must substitute a crisis response drill for a fire drill once every three months, with drills required to be trauma-informed, include mental health professionals, and provide one week advance notice to students, staff, and parents

Crisis response drills with students cannot include active assailant simulations or sensorial elements like fake firearms, gunfire sounds, blood, or injuries; such simulations may only occur outside school hours with staff and first responders only

School security and safety committees must collaborate with school climate committees to plan drills that prioritize physical and psychological safety, with accommodations required for students with cognitive, physical, or sensory disabilities

Department must submit a report on drill standards by April 1, 2026, and a study on the impact of crisis response drills on school communities by July 1, 2028