Ind. Code ch. 10-19-3.5

Ind. Code § 10-19-3.5-1 "Director"

Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "director" refers to the director of the office of school safety appointed under section 5 of this chapter. As added by P.L.238-2025, SEC.39.

Ind. Code § 10-19-3.5-2 "Office"

Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "office" refers to the office of school safety established by section 4 of this chapter. As added by P.L.238-2025, SEC.39.

Ind. Code § 10-19-3.5-3 "Physical security"

Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "physical security" refers to security measures that are designed to deny unauthorized access to a building or facility, including equipment and resources, and to protect individuals and property from damage or harm. As added by P.L.238-2025, SEC.39.

Ind. Code § 10-19-3.5-4 Establishment of office of school safety

Sec. 4. The office of school safety is established as an office within the department of homeland security for the purpose of coordinating and administering school safety resources. As added by P.L.238-2025, SEC.39.

Ind. Code § 10-19-3.5-5 Duties of the director

Sec. 5. The executive director shall appoint a director of the office. The director shall do the following: (1) Serve as the executive head of the office. (2) Advise executive state agencies and political subdivisions regarding state best practices concerning matters relating to school safety. (3) Oversee the duties of the office and coordinate school safety resources in consultation with other state agencies and provide leadership regarding school safety matters. As added by P.L.238-2025, SEC.39.

Ind. Code § 10-19-3.5-6 Duties of the office

Sec. 6. (a) The office shall: (1) establish and maintain guidelines for using professional architectural and engineering services to integrate physical security improvements and safety practices in the construction, renovation, repair, or alteration of a school facility; (2) carry out the office's responsibilities with regards to the school safety specialist training and certification program established by IC 10-21-1-13; (3) establish and maintain guidelines for establishing emergency response protocols in cooperation with other state agencies; (4) carry out the office's responsibilities to safe school committees established under IC 10-21-1-14; (5) coordinate the department's response and recovery assistance to a school in the event of a manmade or natural disaster; (6) provide information and guidance to assist school corporations or schools to establish mutual aid disaster assistance agreements with other schools or school corporations; (7) study and collect information to integrate lessons learned from previous school disasters throughout the country into the curriculum of the school safety specialist training and certification program established by IC 10-21-1-13 and guidelines established by the office under this subsection; (8) establish and maintain guidelines, in consultation with the department of education and institute for criminal justice, for developing and maintaining school safety plans as described in IC 10-21-1-10 and IC 10-21-1-11; and (9) assist the secured school safety board established by IC 10-21-1-3 in conducting the review and submitting the report as described in IC 10-21-1-8. (b) The office may: (1) request a meeting with a school corporation or charter school to review a school safety plan as described in IC 10-21-1-10; (2) request to provide an onsite safety review for a school corporation or charter school; (3) request to provide guidance or assistance relating to school safety matters to a school corporation or charter school; (4) provide assistance or guidance relating to school safety matters upon request by a nonpublic school that has voluntarily become accredited under IC 20-31-4.1 or is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency that is recognized by the state board of education; and (5) provide assistance or guidance relating to school safety matters upon request by a county school safety commission established under IC 10-21-1-12. The applicable school corporation or charter school must comply with any requests made by the office under this subsection. (c) The office shall maintain a secure website to provide school officials and public safety officials access to information that is considered confidential under IC 5-14-3-4(b)(1), IC 5-14-3-4(b)(18), and IC 5-14-3-4(b)(19) or other sensitive information that may assist school officials and public safety officials in improving school safety or responding to a manmade or natural disaster. (d) The office shall maintain a public website that contains: (1) the guidelines established by the office under subsection (a); (2) best practices pertaining to school safety; and (3) any other information the office determines may be necessary to carry out the office's duties or responsibilities under this chapter. As added by P.L.238-2025, SEC.39.