House Bill 214 aims to enhance school safety in Tennessee by redefining the role and qualifications of school resource officers (SROs). The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-4202, to clarify that a school resource officer can be a law enforcement officer, a retired law enforcement officer, or an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces. Additionally, it allows local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to employ SROs under specific guidelines, including the requirement for each governing body to adopt a policy outlining the SRO's duties and responsibilities, ensuring compliance with privacy laws such as FERPA.

The bill also modifies existing provisions regarding the possession of firearms by SROs, allowing them to carry firearms on school grounds if they meet certain criteria, including prior law enforcement experience or military service, and successful completion of training in school policing. Several sections of the Tennessee Code are amended to replace references to "the school resource officer" with "a school resource officer, as defined in 49-6-4202(6)(A)," thereby standardizing the definition across various legal contexts. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-4202, 49-6-815(a), 49-6-815, 49-6-820(b)(7), 49-6-820, 49-6-815(b), 49-6-815(k), 37-1-131(a)(2)(F), 37-1-131, 37-1-131(c)(5), 49-6-3051(d), 49-6-3051, 49-10-1304(h)(3), 49-10-1304, 55-8-151(c)(2), 55-8-151