1 year ago
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DENVER (KDVR) — A new Office of School Safety was established on Thursday with Gov. Jared Polis' signature.
This new state office aims at helping schools prevent, prepare for and respond to emergency situations. The office was made with bipartisan support and has some lawmakers taking a victory lap because of that.
It's the brainchild of the bipartisan Joint Budget Committee, made of two Republicans and four Democrats. One of them is Rep. Shannon Bird.
"That was a great place for this bill to start," said Bird, a Democrat who represents Adams and Jefferson counties. "Having that bipartisan perspective really gave us the energy and the momentum to do important work."
The committee was tasked with establishing this office from the very top of the state's government.
"This bill idea was brought to us by the governor's office probably in early January," Bird said.
School safety gaps targeted
Recent gun violence at Denver's East High School was just a coincidence with the establishment of the new state office.
"Not every school is the same," Bird said. "Not every school's needs are the same."
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