Bill > S419

This bill establishes a School Resource Officer (SRO) Grant Program to provide financial support for local law enforcement agencies and school boards to employ uniformed school resource officers in middle and high schools. The program creates a special nonreverting fund within the state treasury that will not revert to the General Fund at the end of each legislative session, and can receive appropriations, gifts, donations, and grants. The board administering the program, in consultation with the Board of Education, can disburse matching grants to local jurisdictions, with up to 5% of the fund annually available for SRO training. School resource officers must be certified law enforcement officers whose duties include ensuring school safety, preventing truancy and violence, and enforcing school board rules and student conduct codes. The board will develop criteria for grant distribution, including procedures for determining grant amounts and required local matching funds, which will be based on the locality's ability to pay. Importantly, the program aims to support collaborative agreements between law enforcement and schools to enhance student safety and maintain a structured learning environment.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S419