HB 1379 - Students Safe at School Act

• Establishes standards for active shooter drills in K-12 schools requiring drills to be accessible, developmentally appropriate, culturally aware, trauma-informed, and include accommodations for students with disabilities or special needs.

• Requires parent notification at least 24 hours before practice active shooter drills with option to opt students out without academic penalty, and mandates post-drill debriefing time with access to mental health services.

• Prohibits students in K-12 from participating in active shooter simulations during regular school hours; only students in grades 9-12 may opt into simulations with written parental consent.

• Requires all school districts and charter schools to provide grades 6-12 with at least one hour annually of evidence-based violence prevention training covering warning signs, threat assessment, and reporting procedures.

• Creates the Mississippi School Safety Task Force with 25 members to study safe school environments and best practices, and establishes the School Emergency Response Mapping Data Grant Program in the Attorney General's office to provide standardized emergency response mapping data to schools and law enforcement.