This bill pertains to school safety and specifically authorizes public entities such as sheriffs, county commissions, local chiefs of police, and city councils to enter into contracts with nonpublic K-12 schools, including private, church, parochial, religious schools, and home-schooling entities, for the provision of school resource officers. The bill stipulates that such contracts can only be made if the public entity already provides a school resource officer to each public K-12 school within its jurisdiction. Additionally, any contract will be void if the public entity ceases to provide a school resource officer to any public K-12 school in its jurisdiction.

The bill requires that nonpublic schools fully reimburse the public entity for the full salary, benefits, and all other costs associated with employing the school resource officer. Nonpublic schools must also provide proof of occurrence-based liability insurance with coverage amounts and terms consistent with those carried by the public entity, naming the public entity and its officers as additional insureds. If a nonpublic school fails to maintain the required insurance coverage, it assumes liability for all acts taken by the school resource officer within the scope of their private employment. The bill also clarifies that nothing within it waives any immunity or statutory cap on damages that a public entity or its officers are entitled to. The act is set to become effective on June 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-1-44