OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A measure that works to protect Oklahoma students from outside threats has been signed into law.

Senate Bill 100 requires Oklahoma’s more than 2,000 school sites to undergo a risk and vulnerability assessment from the Oklahoma School Security Institute or a nationally qualified assessor by July 1, 2026.

Schools are then required to undergo an assessment every five years.

Organizers say schools will receive recommendations to improve security at the schools.

“After visiting with school administrators and visiting numerous school sites, it became alarmingly apparent that we needed to create a uniform system of safety standards and protocols to ensure all our students and staff are fully protected during an emergency. It shouldn’t matter if it’s a rural or urban, poor or affluent district, all schools should be safe havens where learning is the focus and students can thrive,” Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, said. “I’m grateful for Representative Lowe’s help in getting this across the finish line and for the overwhelming support of our legislative colleagues and Governor Stitt.”

The Legislature also allocated $1.4 million to the Oklahoma State Department of Education to allow OSSI to hire 10 additional staffers to conduct the risk assessments.

“Security is the last thing children and teachers should ever have to worry about while they are involved in the process of learning,” Rep. Dick Lowe, R-Amber, said. “This bill will help us ensure our schools are as safe as they can be with the proper staff, security features and protocol in place to protect our children and those who work to educate them. I’m grateful to Senator Pemberton for authoring this measure and the governor for signing it into law.”

The new law goes into effect July 1.