46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CAPITAL OUTLAY COUNCIL TO STUDY THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS IN SCHOOLS.

WHEREAS, the safety and security of New Mexico's students is of paramount importance; and

WHEREAS, the public school capital outlay council and its deficiencies corrections unit have made good progress toward ensuring that all of New Mexico's schools and classrooms meet life safety standards; and

WHEREAS, many of New Mexico's schools are in remote locations and lack funding for technology, leaving schools and classrooms separated geographically and technologically from the rest of the state, public safety officials and community leaders; and

WHEREAS, even in centrally located schools, students are separated from their parents during the course of the day; and

WHEREAS, during a national, regional, statewide or local emergency, fast, reliable and efficient communication about the nature of the emergency and the action being taken in response to it can often mitigate the effects of an emergency; and

WHEREAS, technology exists to ensure faster, more reliable and efficient communication between and among schools, emergency managers and public safety officials;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public school capital outlay council be requested to study the need for and assess the current capability of schools to communicate quickly, reliably and efficiently with public safety officials, community leaders and others during an emergency, and to report to the second session of the forty-sixth legislature its findings and recommendations, if any, on the costs and feasibility of implementing such a system in every school within three years; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chair of the public school capital outlay council.