House Bill No. [insert number] aims to enhance the employment of veterans in schools by establishing the role of "school guardians." The bill defines a school guardian 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. Additionally, the bill outlines the criteria for school guardians, including their employment status and the policies they must adhere to regarding their duties and authority. Importantly, while school guardians are not classified as peace officers and do not possess arrest powers unless separately commissioned, they are authorized to take necessary actions to prevent active threats and 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 (24) to R.S. 3996(B), which states that charter schools are exempt from certain statutory mandates, except for those related to school guardians as defined in R.S. 17:416.19.1. This legislative change aims to facilitate the integration of veterans into school safety roles while ensuring that charter schools adhere to the established guidelines for employing school guardians.

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