Tipton appointed to task force on School and Campus Safety

Rep. James Tipton of Taylorsville will serve on the Kentucky General Assembly's School and Campus Safety Task Force, according to an announcement this afternoon from the office of House Speaker David Osborne. Legislative leadership created the panel to focus on issues pertaining to school safety, as well as identifying both areas of improvement and potential solutions.

"I am honored Speaker Osborne has appointed me to serve on this task force and look forward to the crucial conversations we will be having this interim," said Tipton. "School safety has been increasingly important which is why the legislature has been committed to ensuring Kentucky's students have a safe learning environment. We have worked to pass legislation to increase safety and this task force will be taking a look at how the School Safety Act passed in 2019 has helped do just that."

The Task Force results from conversations during session and a desire to keep school safety at the forefront after the landmark School Safety Act passed in 2019. This legislation developed and implemented a school safety coordinator training program. The program consists of instruction on policies and procedures for conducting emergency response drills using an all-hazards approach, identification of response to threats for school safety, and preparing for school safety security risks. The legislation also established the office of the state school security marshal to enhance school safety and create a school security risk assessment tool.

The task force will also review access to mental health services provided within school districts and review federal funding available to expand services. The School and Campus Safety Task Force will look at what was implemented in SB 1 to ensure it is being carried out in order to keep Kentucky's children safe while at school. This task force is crucial to ensuring Kentucky's schools are safe and have the resources necessary to serve all students.

"During the 2023 Regular Session, we addressed the juvenile justice crisis, lowered taxes, protected our public pensions, ensured access to reliable and resilient energy sources, and increased access to lifesaving medical services. We also passed legislation aimed at improving workforce shortages in health care, education, and law enforcement and moved to protect parent's rights and ensure the individuals and institutions our children rely on are acting appropriately," Osborne said. "These accomplishments are the result of a productive interim. Our objective is to come into each session with an agenda aimed at building a brighter future for the people of our commonwealth. Task forces like this one have proven to be a vital tool, providing us with an opportunity to focus on issues as they develop."

Task force members will meet throughout the 2023 Interim and submit their findings and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 4, 2023, for referral to the appropriate committee or committees.

Representative Tipton serves the state's 53rd House District, which includes Anderson and Spencer County. In addition, the task force, Tipton will serve on the interim joint committees on Agriculture, Budget Review Subcommittee on Education, and State Government. Tipton will also co-chair the Education committee.

To follow the task force and other legislative work, visit legislature.ky.gov or follow the House Majority Caucus on Facebook and YouTube @KYHouseGOP.