'Seconds matter': House bill seeks to equip MN schools with emergency lock boxes

After school shootings like those in Sandy Hook, Connecticut and Uvalde, Texas, Rep. Jeff Witte (R-Lakeville) emphasizes it is essential for law enforcement have access to schools as quickly as possible in an emergency.

“Seeing what happened at some of these school incidents, that time, that seconds, minutes matter. After Uvalde, we learned that it’s important to get to the threat as soon as possible and not sit back and wait,” said Witte, a 27-year Burnsville Police Department veteran.

Rep. Jeff Witte speaks in support of HF3220 before the House Capital Investment Committee April 29. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Julie Greene. (Photo by Michele Jokinen)

To ensure student and teacher safety, the department, and several others across the state, have installed secure lock boxes at schools to allow law enforcement building access in an emergency.

Rep. Julie Greene (DFL-Edina) wants to help every other Minnesota school install a similar box.

Greene sponsors HF3220 that, as amended, would appropriate $1.81 million in fiscal year 2025 to fund entry device boxes. The bill calls for a maximum allocation of $1,000 per school building.

“I really believe this bill would add a critical layer of protection for nearly 1 million students in our state,” she told the House Capital Investment Committee Tuesday. “It’s enough funding to outfit every school in our state.”

The committee took no action.

Funds would come from a reappropriation of leftover 2018 School Safety Grant funds.

“This really aligns with the original intent of our safe schools grant from 2018 and respects the work of our former colleagues,” Greene said.