CHAPTER 723
An Act to direct the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop proposals for changes to the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) and the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC) with the goal of assisting in the provision of safety and security measures for public or private elementary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education for active shooter or hostile threats.
[S 1755]
Approved March 21, 2019
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. That the Department of Housing and Community Development is directed to convene stakeholders representing entities that enforce the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) (§ 36-97 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) and the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC) (§ 27-94 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) and other law-enforcement organizations to develop proposals for changes to the USBC and SFPC for submission to the Board of Housing and Community Development. Such proposals shall have the goal of assisting in the provision of safety and security measures for the Commonwealth's public or private elementary and secondary schools and public or private institutions of higher education for active shooter or hostile threats. The review of the stakeholders shall include the examination of (i) locking devices, (ii) barricade devices, and (iii) other safety measures that may be utilized in an active shooter or hostile threat situation that occurs in any classroom or other area where students are located for a finite period of time.