Durbin Bill Would Improve Security at U.S. College Campuses

Press Release

Durbin Bill Would Improve Security at U.S. College Campuses

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed legislation designed to strengthen the safety and security of college and university campuses throughout the nation. U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) sponsored the bill in partnership with Durbin.

Key provisions of the bill, the Campus Law Enforcement Emergency Response Act, were included in the Higher Education Act reauthorization passed by the Senate in July and the House of Representatives earlier this month. The House-Senate Conference Committee is expected to convene soon to negotiate a final bill.

"The tragic events at Northern Illinois University underscore the need for our nation's colleges and universities to have emergency plans in place," said Durbin. "From all accounts it appears NIU did everything right in responding quickly and comprehensively to the tragedy."

"After the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech, it was clear that we need to address the vulnerability of students in college. The language added to the Higher Education Act reauthorization will better protect college students, faculty, and campus visitors from threats to their security."

The Durbin-Obama campus safety provisions that were included in the Higher Education Act Reauthorization will:

* Require every college and university to have written emergency response policies and procedures;
* Require every college and university to have emergency notification systems in place to promptly alert the campus community in the event of an emergency;
* Ensure that every college and university has tested those emergency procedures and notification systems on at least an annual basis;
* Combine the resources of the Departments of Education, Justice and Homeland Security to provide colleges and universities with emergency response expertise, guidance and best practices; and
* Create a federal grant program that will help schools get the resources they may need to get their safety programs and emergency notification systems up and running.

Source