The bill authorizes public entities, such as sheriffs and local police departments, to contract with nonpublic K-12 schools to provide school resource officers under specific conditions. A nonpublic school is defined as a private, church, parochial, or religious school, including home-schooling entities. The bill stipulates that contracts for school resource officers can only be approved if these services are also available to all public schools in the relevant county or municipality. Additionally, the nonpublic school must fully reimburse the public entity for all costs associated with the school resource officers, including salary and benefits.

Furthermore, the bill requires nonpublic schools to maintain occurrence-based liability insurance that meets or exceeds the coverage of the contracting public entity. The insurance must name the public entity and its officers as additional insureds. If the nonpublic school fails to maintain this insurance, it assumes liability for the actions of the school resource officer. The bill also clarifies that it does not waive any existing legal immunities for public entities and allows off-duty law enforcement officers to contract with nonpublic schools for security services. The act is set to take effect on June 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-1-44
Enrolled: 16-1-44