SB7 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris ElliottSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

School safety; authorized sheriffs and chiefs of police to contract to provide school resource officers for nonpublic K-12 schools

Summary

Allows sheriffs or local police chiefs to contract with nonpublic K-12 schools to provide school resource officers, with full cost reimbursement and insurance requirements that apply, and contracts end if public SROs are withdrawn.

What This Bill Does

Authorizes contracts between law enforcement and nonpublic K-12 schools (including private, church, parochial, religious schools, and home-schooling entities) to provide school resource officers. Contracts may be entered only if the local public K-12 schools in the area already have an SRO program. Nonpublic schools must fully reimburse the county or city for the salary, benefits, and other costs of each SRO. The nonpublic school must carry occurrence-based liability insurance, naming the county, sheriff, deputies, and the municipality's chief of police and officers as additional insureds; if insurance coverage is not maintained for the entire term, the nonpublic school assumes liability for SRO actions, and the contract is automatically void if public SROs are no longer provided.

Who It Affects

• Nonpublic K-12 schools (including private, church, parochial, religious schools, and home-schooling entities) that choose to obtain a school resource officer through a contract with local law enforcement; they would be responsible for reimbursing all associated costs and meeting insurance requirements.
• Local government entities and law enforcement (sheriffs, county commissions, local police chiefs, city councils, and their officers) that would provide SROs to nonpublic schools, receive reimbursement for costs, and be named as insured parties under the required insurance policy.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes sheriffs and local chiefs of police to contract with nonpublic K-12 schools to provide school resource officers.
• Contracts may be made only if the jurisdiction's public K-12 schools already have an SRO; contracts automatically void if public schools stop providing SROs.
• Nonpublic schools must fully reimburse the county or city for the full salary, benefits, and all costs of the SROs provided under the contract.
• Nonpublic schools must carry occurrence-based liability insurance, primary coverage no less than what the public entities carry, and name the county, sheriff and deputies, and the municipality's chief of police and officers as additional insureds.
• If the nonpublic school lacks the required insurance for the entire term, the school assumes liability for SRO actions within the private employment.
• The act does not waive any immunity or statutory damage caps applicable to public entities or their officers.
• Effective date: June 1, 2024.

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

Subjects

Education