A panel created by Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy in the wake of the Newtown school shooting has issued a set of draft recommendations aimed at avoiding another tragedy like Sandy Hook.
The 256-page report from the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission was posted online Thursday.
The report offers recommendations in the areas of school design and operations, mental health, and law enforcement.
In the area of school design, some of the key recommendations include ensuring that all school classrooms and other safe haven areas of the school have doors that can be locked from the inside, and that all exterior doors be capable of implementing a full-perimeter lockdown, and more safety and security training for faculty and staff.
Among the recommendations by the commission in the area of mental health are various interventions and systems of care aimed at treating children with mental health issues early, and in a more comprehensive way, as well as a state-wide plan to respond to a large scale school crisis with support from behavioral health agencies.
In the area of law enforcement, the commission offered a host of recommendations on how to improve gun safety in the state, including trigger locks on any gun sale or transfer, laser etching on any ammunition sold or possessed in Connecticut, and a prohibition on the the sale or possession of any firearm capable of firing more than ten rounds without reloading.
Earlier in February, Malloy was asked whether time was running out this legislative session to turn the panel's recommendations into policy. "Some of those can be acted on administratively," he said at the time. "Some of them will have to be acted on legislatively. I think there are sufficient bills to attach some of those recommendations to."
The panel gathered input over more than two years from experts and others, including victims' family members. Many of the recommendations were included in an interim report last year that called for ensuring classroom doors can be locked from the inside and limits on ammunition purchases. Adam Lanza killed 20 children and six educators at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012 before killing himself.
The commission meets on Friday starting at 9:30 am.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.
