(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-344)

Under this Act, the following school safety drills shall be instituted by all schools in this State:

1. (1) School evacuation drills, which shall address and prepare students and school personnel for situations that occur when conditions outside of a school building are safer than inside a school building. Evacuation incidents are based on the needs of particular communities and may include without limitation the following:

   1. (A) fire;
   2. (B) suspicious items or persons;
   3. (C) incidents involving hazardous materials, including, but not limited to, chemical, incendiary, and explosives;
   4. (D) bomb threats; and
   5. (E) incidents involving the release or explosion of hazardous substances.

2. (2) Except as limited by subsection (b-5) of Section 20 of this Act, bus evacuation drills, which shall address and prepare students and school personnel for situations that occur when conditions outside of a bus are safer than inside the bus. Evacuation incidents are based on the needs of particular communities and may include without limitation the following:

   1. (A) fire;
   2. (B) suspicious items;
   3. (C) incidents involving hazardous materials, including, but not limited to, chemical, incendiary, and explosives; and
   4. (D) incidents involving the release or explosion of hazardous substances.
3. (3) Law enforcement drills, which shall address and prepare school personnel for situations calling for the involvement of law enforcement when conditions inside a school building are safer than outside of a school building and it is necessary to protect building occupants from potential dangers in a school building. Law enforcement drills may involve situations that call for the reverse-evacuation or the lock-down of a school building. Evacuation or reverse-evacuation incidents shall include a shooting incident.

4. (4) Severe weather and shelter-in-place drills, which shall address and prepare students for situations involving severe weather emergencies or the release of external gas or chemicals. Severe weather and shelter-in-place incidents shall be based on the needs and environment of particular communities and may include without limitation the following:

   1. (A) severe weather, including, but not limited to, shear winds, lightning, and earthquakes;
   2. (B) incidents involving hazardous materials, including, but not limited to, chemical, incendiary, and explosives;
   3. (C) incidents involving weapons of mass destruction, including, but not limited to, biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons; and
   4. (D) incidents involving the release or explosion of hazardous materials.

(Source: P.A. 104-344, eff. 1-1-26.)