Bill > S04814

This bill amends the New York State education law to establish a grant program for school resource officers (SROs) and expand opportunities for their deployment in schools. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, eligible school districts will receive grants covering 100% of the annual salaries for SROs employed in their schools. The bill broadly defines SROs to include various safety and security personnel like retired police officers, active duty police officers, state troopers, and deputy sheriffs. Additionally, the bill authorizes boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) to enter into contracts with local police entities to provide SROs, with these costs also being eligible for the same grant funding. The purpose appears to be supporting school safety by providing financial incentives for districts to employ trained security personnel and creating more flexible mechanisms for schools to secure professional safety resources. The grants aim to make hiring SROs more financially feasible for school districts and ensure comprehensive safety coverage across different types of educational institutions.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4814