SB174 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

Relating to the Teachers' Retirement System and the Employees' Retirement System; to amend Section 16-1-44.1, Code of Alabama 1975; to provide further for the compensation of retired law enforcement officers providing services as school resource officers for local boards of education.

Summary

SB174 updates Alabama law to regulate pay, training, and arming of retired law enforcement officers serving as school resource officers for local boards of education.

What This Bill Does

It defines who qualifies as a retired law enforcement officer and as a school resource officer. Local boards of education may hire school security personnel or contract with a local police or sheriff to employ school resource officers. It sets firearm and training requirements for armed SROs, including certification or retired status, active shooter training, annual firearm requalification, and non-lethal weapon training. It requires that compensation for after-hours SRO work by retired officers be paid on a contractual basis and not counted toward certain retirement-allowance limits; the State Department of Education will issue implementing rules, and the bill does not grant arrest powers beyond existing law.

Who It Affects

• Retired law enforcement officers who may work as school resource officers and could receive contractual pay for after-hours duties.
• Local boards of education and school districts that hire or contract school resource officers and implement related training and safety requirements.

Key Provisions

• Defines retired law enforcement officer as someone who retired in good standing from a federal, state, or local agency with at least 20 years of experience.
• Defines school resource officer as a certified law enforcement officer with power of arrest, certified in good standing.
• Allows local boards to employ school security personnel or contract with a local chief of police or sheriff to hire school resource officers; armed SROs must meet specific qualifications (certification or retired status, active shooter training, annual firearm requalification, and non-lethal weapon training).
• Compensation for hours worked after regular school hours for extracurricular activities by retired officers serving as SROs must be paid on a contractual basis and not included in certain retirement-allowance limits.
• Clarifies that the bill does not confer arrest powers beyond existing law; DOE must adopt implementing rules.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.