This bill enacts new provisions in Louisiana law regarding the employment of veterans as "school guardians" in educational institutions. A "school guardian" is defined as a veteran who has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces, has passed a background check, and has completed specific training related to school safety and incident response. The bill outlines the criteria for school guardians, including their employment status with local public school systems or law enforcement agencies, and stipulates that they will not be considered peace officers unless separately commissioned. Additionally, school guardians are granted limited authority to act in the event of an active threat and can temporarily detain individuals under certain conditions.

Furthermore, the bill amends the charter school regulations by including school guardians under the exemptions applicable to charter schools. Specifically, it adds a new provision stating that charter schools and their employees are exempt from certain statutory mandates, except for the laws related to school guardians as outlined in the newly enacted R.S. 17:416.19.1. This inclusion ensures that charter schools must adhere to the same standards and regulations concerning the employment and responsibilities of school guardians as public schools.

Statutes affected:
HB682 Original: 17:19(B)(1)
HB682 Engrossed: 17:19(B)(1)