Carroll-Backed School Safety Measure Now Law

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook, is ensuring students remain safe in case of active shooters with his backing for a new law requiring them to generate and put into place threat assessment procedures.

“Everyone deserves to live in a community where their schools are completely safe,” Carroll said. “That means being ready to handle the worst kinds of danger. Our schools are up to the challenge on many fronts, but, despite the countless national tragedies in recent years, they are not nearly prepared for the real possibility of gun violence. This law is about ensuring that schools take decisive, rapid action to prevent the next massacre.”

In addition to numerous other legislative initiatives aimed at keeping Illinoisans safe, Carroll supported House Bill 1561, which requires school districts to create threat assessment teams made up of teachers, school social workers, law enforcement members and other relevant officials. The teams will be tasked with putting together a comprehensive response plan in the case of an active shooter entering the school with the goal of minimizing violence and apprehending the assailant as quickly as possible. This legislation received strong bipartisan support and is now law.

“We can’t leave it to gun safety laws alone to make our schools safe, although that is a huge part of the overall solution,” Carroll said.  “Well-prepared threat assessment procedures will save countless lives, and it is a big step toward protecting school children from gun violence.”