Kentucky Office of Homeland Security shall make available an anonymous reporting tool to allow students, parents, and community members to supply information about potentially harmful, dangerous, or criminal activities to public safety agencies and school officials -- Required use of reporting tool or alternative by local school districts
KRS 158.4451
in effect158.4451. Kentucky Office of Homeland Security shall make available an anonymous reporting tool to allow students, parents, and community members to supply information about potentially harmful, dangerous, or criminal activities to public safety agencies and school officials -- Required use of reporting tool or alternative by local school districts
(1) The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, after collaborating with the Center for School Safety, the Kentucky Department of Education, the Department o f Criminal Justice Training, and the Department of Kentucky State Police, shall make available to each local school district an anonymous reporting tool that allows students, parents, and community members to anonymously supply information concerning unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities, or the threat of these activities, to appropriate public safety agencies and school officials. The reporting tool shall be accessible at least by telephone call, electronic email, and a mobile device application.
(2) The reporting tool shall notify the reporting individual of the following:
(a) The reporting individual may supply the information anonymously; and
(b) If the individual chooses to disclose his or her identity, that information shall be shared with the appropriate law enforcement agency and school officials. Law enforcement and school officials shall be required to maintain the information as confidential.
(3) Information reported using the tool shall immediately be sent to the administration of each school district affected and the law enforcement agencies responsible for protection of those school districts, including but not limited to the local sheriff's office, the local city police department, and the Kentucky State Police.
(4) Law enforcement dispatch centers, school districts, schools, and other entities identified by the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security shall be made aware of the reporting tool.
(5) The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, in collaboration with the Center for School Safety, the Kentucky Department of Education, the Department of Criminal Justice Training, and the Department of Kentucky State Police, shall develop and provide a comprehensive training and awareness program on the use of the anonymous reporting tool.
(6) The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security shall maintain and update the anonymous reporting tool and shall collaborate with the agencies listed in subsection (1) of this section prior to making substantial changes to the tool.
(7) Each local school district shall provide an anonymous reporting tool that allows students, parents, and community members to anonymously supply information concerning unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities, or the threat of these activities, to appropriate public safety agencies and school officials.
(8) In order to meet the requirement of subsection (7) of this section, local school districts shall:
(a) Use the anonymous reporting tool described in subsections (1) to (4) of this section; or
(b) 1. Provide an alternative anonymous reporting tool other than the tool made available pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, as long as the chosen reporting tool satisfies all of the requirements established in subsections (1) to (4) of this section; and 2. Develop and provide a comprehensive training and awareness program on the use of the chosen anonymous reporting tool.
Effective: July 15, 2024
History: Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 165, sec. 8, effective July 15, 2024. -- Created 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 5, sec. 21, effective March 11, 2019.
Source: Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (legislature.ky.gov)URL: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=55388Fetched: 10/20/2026