HB 5966 Summary

• Establishes the "Michigan School Safety Grant Act" creating three separate grant programs administered by the Department of Education: school resource officer grants, school mental health professional grants, and school building security grants.

• School resource officer grants provide 3-year funding (with declining amounts in years 2-3) to school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies to contract with law enforcement for new or additional officers, with priority given to ensuring at least one officer per district and school.

• School mental health professional grants fund employment or contracting of new school counselors, psychologists, and social workers, with target ratios of 250:1 students to counselors, 700:1 to psychologists, and 400:1 to social workers.

• School building security grants support facility upgrades, technology purchases, and annual safety assessments to improve school building security and safety.

• Creates the Michigan School Safety Grant Fund with allocations capped at 40% for resource officers, 40% for mental health professionals, and 20% for building security; grants are for 3 years with applications accepted beginning July 1, 2018.