School Safety Measures

The bill permits a school district, charter school, or board of cooperative services (local education provider) to employ or retain by contract a person as a school security officer only if:

• The local education provider has a policy that governs security officers' engagement with students;
• The person completes school security officer or school resource officer training; and
• The person undergoes a background check and a psychological evaluation.

The bill permits a school security officer to carry a handgun on school property if the school security officer holds a valid permit to carry a concealed handgun; completes firearms training, including ongoing in-service training; and passed the peace officer standards and training board's firearms skills test or an equivalent firearms skills test.

Existing law prohibits carrying, bringing, or possessing a deadly weapon on school property and includes exceptions to the prohibition, including for the purpose of a school employee carrying out necessary duties and functions that require the use of a deadly weapon. The bill repeals the exception for a school employee carrying out the employee's duties and expressly permits a school security officer to carry a handgun on school grounds, as described above.

The bill prohibits a school or law enforcement agency from storing firearms on the grounds of a public or private elementary, middle, junior high, or high school.