Bill > HSB675

Introduced Session

This bill relates to school security, including by requiring certain school districts to employ or retain school security personnel, establishing the school security personnel grant program within the department of education, and authorizing school employees to be issued professional permits to carry weapons. The bill requires all school districts with a total enrollment of at least 8,000 students to employ, or retain the services of, at least one private school security officer or school resource officer to guard each attendance center where students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 regularly attend classes. The bill encourages all school districts with a total enrollment of less than 8,000 students to employ, or retain the services of, at least one private school security officer or school resource officer to guard each attendance center where students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 regularly attend classes. The bill requires the department of education to develop and administer a school security personnel grant program to provide annual grants to match moneys provided by such school districts to allow the school districts to offset costs associated with employing, or retaining the services of, a private school security officer or school resource officer. The bill provides that the amount of an annual grant provided by the department to a school district that has provided matching moneys pursuant to this provision shall not exceed $50,000. The bill establishes a school security personnel grant program fund in the state treasury to be administered by the department. The bill defines “private school security officer” to mean an individual employed by a private security business who possesses a permit to carry weapons issued under Code H.F. _____ section 724.6 (professional permit to carry weapons). The bill requires a private school security officer employed or retained by the board of directors of a school district to participate in the annual live scenario training and quarterly live firearm training sessions described below. The bill defines “private security business” as a business of furnishing, for hire or reward, guards, watch personnel, armored car personnel, patrol personnel, or other persons to protect persons or property, to prevent the unlawful taking of goods and merchandise, or to prevent the misappropriation or concealment of goods, merchandise, money, securities, or other valuable documents or papers, and includes an individual who for hire patrols, watches, or guards a residential, industrial, or business property or district. Additionally, the bill defines “school resource officer” by reference to the definition contained in 34 U.S.C. §10389. The bill provides that a person may be issued a permit to carry weapons if the person is a school employee of a school district, a private school, or an institution of higher education that has not opted out of participating in the professional permitting of school employees. The person shall complete a prescribed firearm safety training course offered pursuant to Code section 724.9(1), prior to being issued a permit, and not be ineligible for a permit to carry under Code section 724.8. A person issued a permit to carry weapons is required to receive one-time, in-person legal training, including training on qualified immunity, annual emergency medical training, and annual communication training that is approved by the department of public safety. The department of public safety is required to implement annual live scenario training and quarterly live firearm training for school employees. The bill provides that a school employee issued a professional permit to carry by the department of public safety after completing department of public safety-approved training H.F. _____ is entitled to qualified immunity from criminal or civil liability for all damages incurred pursuant to the application of reasonable force at the place of employment. The bill provides that a school employee shall not be required, as a condition of employment, to obtain a permit. The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid received by the school district under Code section 257.16. The specification is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.

Committee Categories

No sponsors listed

Other Sponsors (1)

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 2586. (on 02/19/2024)

Official Document