House Bill 214 aims to enhance school safety in Tennessee by amending various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to school resource officers (SROs). The bill redefines the term "school resource officer" to include not only active law enforcement officers but also retired officers and honorably discharged veterans assigned to public schools. It establishes that local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools may employ SROs and mandates that each governing body adopt a policy outlining the duties and authority of these officers, ensuring compliance with relevant privacy laws.

Additionally, the bill allows SROs to possess firearms on school grounds, provided they meet specific criteria, including prior law enforcement experience or military service, and successful completion of training in school policing. The legislation also makes several technical amendments to existing laws, replacing references to "the school resource officer" with "a school resource officer, as defined in 49-6-4202(6)(A)" in multiple sections. 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