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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item Cover PageAGENDA ITEM COVER PAGE File ID: #4700 Resolution Sponsored by: Mayor Francis Suarez A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT AND THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO ADEQUATELY AND FULLY APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ORDER TO ASSIGN ONE OR MORE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER(S) OR SAFE -SCHOOL OFFICER(S) PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE "MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL PUBLIC SAFETY ACT"; DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE THIS ITEM A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY FOR THE 2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS NAMED HEREIN. City of Miami Legislation Resolution Enactment Number: R-18-0381 City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com File Number: 4700 Final Action Date:9/13/2018 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT AND THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO ADEQUATELY AND FULLY APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ORDER TO ASSIGN ONE OR MORE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER(S) OR SAFE -SCHOOL OFFICER(S) PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE "MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL PUBLIC SAFETY ACT"; DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE THIS ITEM A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY FOR THE 2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS NAMED HEREIN. WHEREAS, school violence has become an increasing concern throughout the nation; and WHEREAS, in the aftermath of the tragic school shooting that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 7026 which amends and creates several state statutes to comprehensively address the gun violence crisis, mental health, and school safety; and WHEREAS, amongst the provision of Senate Bill 7026, known as the "Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act" (the "Act"), there are new laws that mandate significant reforms to make Florida schools safer requiring all school district superintendent to attain a much greater law enforcement presence, hardening of school buildings, and provide for mental health services at each of the district's school; and WHEREAS, the Act specifically amends section 1006.12, Florida Statutes, entitled `Safe - school officers at each public school', and states that for the protection and safety of school personnel, property, students, and visitors, each district school board and school district superintendent shall partner with law enforcement agencies to establish or assign one or more safe -school officers at each school facility within the district, by establishing a school resource officer program, commission one or more school safety officers, or at the school district's discretion, participate in the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program, which essentially arms trained school personnel to aid in the prevention or abatement of an active assailant on school grounds, but has no authority to act as a law enforcement officer; and WHEREAS, to fund this mandate, the Florida Legislature passed a budget that increased funds appropriated to the Safe Schools Allocation from $97.5 million to $162 million for the 2018-2019 fiscal year; and WHEREAS, the Act specifies that the additional funds appropriated to the Safe Schools Allocation in fiscal year 2018-19, to the school resource officer program, established pursuant to section 1006.12, Florida Statutes, must be used for employing or contracting for school resource officers, regardless of the number of officers employed or contracted for in fiscal year 2017-18; and WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") recognizes and supports the collaborative efforts of local law enforcement agencies working together with the Miami -Dade County Public Schools ("MDCPS") and the Miami -Dade County Public Schools Police Department ("MDSPD") to comply with the Act and enhance the safety of students and employees in all public schools located throughout Miami -Dade County, including public charter schools and those schools located within the City's jurisdiction; and WHEREAS, based on the shortage of MDSPD officers available, in order assign one to each school throughout the school district, the City, and other municipalities in the county, recently entered into an agreement with MDCPS to assign sworn law enforcement officers of the Miami Police Department ("MPD") to serve as Miami Police School Safety Officers ("SSO") at the schools located in the City, to maintain security along each school's perimeter and respond to immediate life safety threats in the interior of the school; and WHEREAS, the City acknowledges the validity of the Act's requirement to deploy at least one sworn law enforcement officer at every public school however, the Florida Legislature budgeted only a fraction of the money necessary to fund this mandate, therefore creating a significant strain on the resources available to MDCPS and MDSPD; and WHEREAS, the City urges the Governor Rick Scott and the members of the Florida Legislature to redirect and appropriate reoccurring funds to the Safe Schools Allocation and pass a budget to adequately fund each of the school districts in Florida, including MDCPS, in order to assign one or more sworn law enforcement officer(s) at each public school, including public charter schools, and implores the Florida Legislature to consider this item as a legislative priority during the upcoming 2019 Legislative Session; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated as fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The City Commission hereby urges Governor Rick Scott and the Members of the Florida Legislature to adequately and fully appropriate funds to each school district in Florida in order to assign one or more sworn law enforcement officer(s) pursuant to the provisions of the "Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, and urges the Florida Legislature to consider this item as a legislative priority during the 2019 Legislative Session. Section 3. The City Manager is hereby directed to make this item a Legislative Priority for the 2019 Legislative Session. Section 4. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to Governor Rick Scott and the members of the Miami -Dade County Legislative Delegation. Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and signature of the Mayor.' 1 If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: