Request an interim study on school safety
House Joint Resolution 53 requests an interim legislative study on improving school safety in Montana and directs that the study’s final findings be reported to the 70th Legislature. The resolution states that safe schools are linked to better academic outcomes, reduced bullying, stronger student engagement, and improved emergency response, and it frames the study as a way to identify gaps in Montana’s current school safety practices and coordination.
The study is to be assigned by the Legislative Council to an appropriate interim or statutory committee, which must work with a broad set of stakeholders including education agencies, law enforcement, public health, school boards, administrators, and school safety organizations. The committee is directed to evaluate Montana’s implementation of the federal School Safety Working Group’s Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety, compare Montana’s practices with best practices from other states, review existing statutes and funding mechanisms, and consider whether a designated clearinghouse or coordinating entity would improve model policies, training, and technical assistance. The study must be completed by September 15, 2026, with results reported to the next legislature.
HJ 53 does not directly change Montana law or create new regulatory requirements; instead, it authorizes and directs an interim study that could inform future legislation. Its practical effect is to place school safety statutes, funding streams, and cross-agency coordination under legislative review, with an emphasis on clarifying, consolidating, and better aligning existing law and resources with recommended safety practices. The resolution also signals possible future policy development around a statewide school safety clearinghouse or designated support entity.
The overall sentiment around the resolution appears strongly supportive. It passed the House and Senate with clear majorities, and the committee votes were favorable, indicating broad agreement that school safety merits a coordinated review. The bill’s findings and the lack of direct mandates likely contributed to its relatively noncontroversial reception, though the Senate floor votes show some opposition remained.
The main point of contention appears to have been whether Montana should pursue a more centralized, statewide approach to school safety and whether the study’s recommendations could lead to expanded coordination, oversight, or future policy changes. The resolution itself does not impose new requirements, but it asks the committee to examine existing statutes, funding, and the possibility of a designated clearinghouse, which may have raised concerns among some lawmakers about state-level consolidation or administrative expansion. The recorded nay votes in the Senate suggest limited but real disagreement, likely centered on the scope of the study or the direction of future school safety policy.