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6/3/2026
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Senate approves Sen. Patalano bill to give first responders quick access to schools in emergencies
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STATE HOUSE — The Senate today voted to approve legislation from Sen. Todd M. Patalano to give first responders quick access to public and private schools in an emergency.
The legislation (2026-S 2280A) would require all schools and educational institutions to develop and implement a school safety plan that would provide for such access.
“This adds another layer of security to our schools,” said Senator Patalano (D-Dist. 26, Cranston), who is an active-duty Cranston police officer. “In incidents where there is an active shooter or other grave danger, we want police officers to be unhindered so they can quickly neutralize the threat. In most of these cases, the incident is over in three to seven minutes. In Cranston, for instance, all police officers have key fobs granting them instant access to all school buildings, and this legislation would make certain that all communities and private educational institutions have a similar plan in place.”
Under the provisions of the legislation, the plan would include ensuring immediate and unobstructed access to all of the school’s or institution’s facilities to include buildings, classrooms and grounds by first responder law enforcement personnel and emergency medical personnel through secure electronic entry systems through use of key fobs, card access, manual key access, secure key boxes or other means.
Dr. Kevin Eberle, a former school principal and police officer, testified in favor of the legislation. He told the Senate Judiciary committee that, “As a former police officer, I was placed in difficult situations when the need to enter buildings was stymied. In most cases, when an emergency was imminent, forced entry was required. This could be breaking windows, using crash bars to force open doors, or, in barricaded situations, battering rams were used. This unnecessary structural damage would have been eliminated if a key box had been accessible and would have been a safer entry for the tactical team.”
The Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns also testified in favor of the bill. Executive Director Randy Rossi said, “The annual development, review and submission of a comprehensive safety and emergency response plan to both the Department of Education and local public safety officials is a positive step toward standardizing safety protocols statewide. The flexibility provided for access methods, including secure electronic entry systems, key fobs, card access, or manual key access, acknowledges the varying needs and resources of schools across Rhode Island.”
The bill now goes to the House, where Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) has introduced similar legislation (2026-H 7897).
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
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