Dive Brief:
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An Illinois law took effect on Jan. 1 that will require all new schools to have storm shelters.
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New construction and remodeling on the state’s schools must include a safe space for students to gather in case of a tornado.
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The shelters will not be elaborate; in fact, it’s possible that existing classrooms could be reinforced to serve as shelters, one lawmaker told public radio station WUIS.
Dive Insight:
Few jurisdictions require schools to include storm shelters. In fact, in Oklahoma, where deadly tornadoes in 2013 killed 50 people and ripped through at least one school, any effort to require tornado-proof school safety zones is considered a political hot potato.
The same was true in Illinois, where several state legislators voted against the measure, calling it an “unfunded mandate” and saying the state doesn’t have the money to fund the shelters.