HB 236

Relating to education; to amend Section 16-1-44.1, Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the qualifications of school resource officers.

Section 1

Section 16-1-44.1, Code of Alabama 1975, is amended to read as follows:

§16-1-44.1.

(a) A local board of education may employ persons as school security personnel. or

(b) A local board of education may contract with a local chief of police or sheriff to employ school resource officers. A local board of education may also employ as a school resource officer a person who retired in good standing from a federal or state agency with at least 25 total years of law enforcement experience.

(c) A local board of education may allow any person employed by the board as school security personnel or as a school resource officer to carry a firearm while on duty if the employee satisfies all of the following qualifications:

(1) He or she is certified by the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission as a law enforcement officer whose certification is in good standing and who has successfully completed active shooter training approved by the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency.

(2) He or she annually completes and passes the firearm requalification required of law enforcement officers by the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission.

(3) He or she must carry a non-lethal weapon and must be trained in the appropriate use of that non-lethal weapon.

(b) (d) The State Department of Education shall promulgate any necessary rules to provide for the implementation of this section including, but not limited to, rules providing additional qualifications for employment as school security personnel or school resource officers."

Section 2

This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.