Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita announced Tuesday the Senate approved his “Saugus Strong Act,” aimed at addressing student mental health and school safety.   

“As we continue to shine a light on the mental health crisis in our society, it becomes abundantly clear that early intervention is critical to avoiding future instances of violence,” Wilk said. “The 2019 Saugus High School shooting was a tragic consequence of serious unaddressed mental health issues. Perhaps if students had a safe way to report their concerns, violence and death could have been avoided.”   

Senate Bill 643 (SB 643), would require education agencies to create a system that would allow students, parents or concerned community members to anonymously report potential threats or violence, according to Wilk.   

Each public school would be required to prominently post on their website an anonymous tip line, which could be a phone hotline, website, email address, mobile application or any combination of the four, Wilk said. 

According to the CDC, emergency room visits for suicide attempts among adolescents jumped over 30 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. 

In school shooting incidents 80 percent of perpetrators had previously notified others of their intentions, according to findings by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education.  SB 643 is now set to be considered in the Assembly. 

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.