The proposed School Safety Act in West Virginia aims to enhance school safety by establishing a mobile training team under the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security. This team will consist of a chief mobile training officer and 16 regional officers responsible for training public and nonpublic schools on safety protocols, developing emergency management plans, and providing tactical emergency medical services training. The bill also mandates the creation of a curriculum for training school protection officers, which includes firearms training and other safety techniques.

Additionally, the bill allows teachers and administrators in elementary and secondary schools to carry concealed firearms, designating them as school protection officers, provided they complete an approved training program and hold a valid concealed carry permit. It includes provisions for public notification of the presence of protection officers, as well as incentives for these officers that can be revoked if they lose their designation. The legislation also ensures that records of individuals who complete training will not be public records, while requiring school boards to inform the public about authorized officers. Overall, the bill seeks to empower educators in contributing to school safety while ensuring proper training and oversight.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 61-7-11a, 18A-2-16