SB 25-027

Senate Bill 25-027, known as the Trauma-Informed School Safety Practices Act, aims to create a work group that will develop guidelines for schools on how to conduct safety drills in a way that is sensitive to students' mental health and past traumas. The work group must start its activities once it receives at least $50,000 from donations or grants, and it has until September 1, 2026, to complete its recommendations. If the funding isn't secured by June 30, 2027, any collected funds will be redirected to the state education fund instead. This bill is now signed into law, meaning that schools in Colorado can expect new guidelines on trauma-informed safety practices in the near future.

Official Summary

On or before September 1, 2025, the act requires the office of school safety (office) to convene and oversee a work group to develop best practices for the use of trauma-informed practices to conduct school safety drills. The act requires the work group to convene its first meeting no later than 56 days after the office receives $50,000 of gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of the work group or receives an in-kind donation with a value of $50,000 as part of a public-private partnership agreement. No later than one year and one month after the office receives $50,000 of gifts, grants, or donations or receives an in-kind donation with a value of $50,000, the act requires the work group to develop recommendations to support schools in training school personnel on the use of trauma-informed practices in conducting school safety drills, how to best conduct school safety drills in a trauma-informed manner, and how to best respond to a school safety incident. The act requires that the work group be entirely funded by gifts, grants, and donations, including in-kind donations as part of a public-private partnership agreement. If by June 30, 2027, the work group has not received $50,000 in gifts, grants, or donations or an in-kind donation with a value of $50,000 as part of a public-private partnership agreement, the state treasurer must transfer any money received for purposes of the work group to the state education fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes