Senate Bill 906 would permit child care or day care centers to install temporary locking systems on doors that are designed to block a hostile person such as an active shooter from getting into a building. Senate Bills 907 and 908 would amend bills that previously banned these systems to allow the system's installment.
On Thursday, the Michigan Senate voted 38-0 to send the three bills to the House.
"We're in a world where school shootings are becoming more and more pervasive, our laws need to reflect that," said Sen. Jeremy Moss, D- District 7, one of the bill's sponsors. "Whatever current laws exist generally have not been adequate to address this epidemic of gun violence, and so we're always having to catch up to these incidents around the country and especially around here in Michigan."
In March 2020, a law was passed permitting education facilities to use these locking systems on doors, but it was not clear if the law applied to facilities whose primary purpose is child care.
Robert Mass, the legislative director of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, testified in committee on June 11 that child care centers attempted to install the locks, but were prevented due to existing fire codes that were not yet waived for their facilities.
The bills also outlines additional steps providers would have to take if they install the locking systems, such as submitting an emergency operations plan and building blueprints to the local fire department.
Jared Rodriguez, executive director of the Child Care Providers Association of Michigan, who is neutral on the bill, said that the bill does not require child care providers to install the locks. Use of the locking systems would remain optional, he said.
"We would encourage our members to do whatever they see fit to make sure that their workers and certainly the children are as safe as can be," Rodriguez said. "And if they want to install one of those systems, they have to follow the guidelines that are now being put forth by the state."
The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, which licenses child care providers, supports the bill, said Emily Laidlaw, deputy director of MiLEAP's Office of Early Childhood Education
“MiLEAP remains focused on our goal of ensuring Michigan families have access to safe quality child care that meet their needs," Laidlaw said. "We support Senate Bills 906 through 908 to ensure all child care providers have access to devices that can keep kids safe in the unfortunate event of an emergency.“
Rodriguez is unsure how many privately-operated child care centers will install the locks.
"I don't know what the demand would be, but rather, would suggest that it be done on a personal or company wide basis," Rodriguez said.
Even if the bill passes, some child care centers will not choose to install the system.
Lindsey Potter, owner of Bright Light Early Care and Education, said while she supports the bill, it will not affect her child care center in Battle Creek because they have chosen other security measures.
"It doesn't fit our needs at this time because we manage our traffic patterns and our center culture in a more connected, open way, and so it is not necessary to have security of this type," Potter said.
Privately-run child care centers should be able to choose security options that fit their individual needs, Potter said.
"We're hopeful that there continues to be choice and flexibility instead of mandates of unfunded expectations," Potter said.
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