HB 1189
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland General Assembly
2021 Session
FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
First Reader
House Bill 1189 (Howard County Delegation)
Ways and Means
Howard County Board of Education - School Safety Personnel
Ho. Co. 10-21
This bill precludes the Howard County Board of Education from assigning school resource
officers (SROs) to public schools in the county and instead requires the board to use
adequate local law enforcement coverage to meet State guidelines for school safety. The
bill takes effect July 1, 2021.
Fiscal Summary
State Effect: None. The bill pertains only to Howard County.
Local Effect: The bill does not materially affect governmental finances in
Howard County, as discussed below.
Small Business Effect: None.
Analysis
Current Law: Chapter 30 of 2018 (Maryland Safe to Learn Act) defined an SRO as
(1) a law enforcement officer assigned to a school in accordance with a memorandum of
understanding between a local law enforcement agency and a local school system or
(2) a Baltimore City School Police Officer, as defined in current law.
Under Chapter 30, the Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS) developed, in
consultation with local school systems, a specialized curriculum to be used in training
SROs. All SROs were required to complete an approved specialized training program by
September 1, 2019.
MCSS must collect specified data on SROs and, in collaboration with local
law enforcement and school systems, develop guidelines based on its analysis of the data
to assist local school systems in (1) identifying the appropriate number and assignment of
SROs, including supplemental coverage by local law enforcement agencies and
(2) collaborating and communicating with local law enforcement agencies. By
July 1, 2019, each local school system must have developed a plan in consultation with
local law enforcement to implement the guidelines and submit its plan to MCSS for review
and comment.
Before each school year begins, each local school system must annually file a report with
MCSS that identifies (1) the public schools that have an SRO assigned and (2) if no SRO
is assigned to a public school, the adequate local law enforcement coverage that will be
provided to the school. MCSS must submit annual summaries of the SRO/law enforcement
coverage reports it receives to the Governor and General Assembly. MCSS must also
collect and report annually data on specified incidents of use of force involving SROs or
school security employees.
Each year, the Governor must include $10.0 million for the Safe Schools Fund to provide
grants to local school systems and law enforcement agencies to meet the SRO/law
enforcement coverage requirements; the Governor’s proposed fiscal 2022 State budget
includes the funding. Grants must be made based on the proportion of public schools in
each jurisdiction.
Local Expenditures: According to MCSS, Howard County assigns full-time SROs to
22 of its 77 schools, with adequate law enforcement coverage provided for the remaining
55 schools. Removing SROs from the 22 schools requires the school system to arrange
adequate law enforcement coverage for those schools as well. The guidelines for adequate
law enforcement coverage developed by MCSS are, for security reasons, protected
information that is not available to the public. Therefore, the Department of Legislative
Services (DLS) cannot independently assess the additional coverage that is necessary to
satisfy those guidelines.
Nevertheless, DLS assumes that (1) fewer police officers are needed to provide adequate
law enforcement coverage for the 22 schools than are currently assigned to the schools as
SROs; and (2) any remaining current SROs, who are sworn police officers and paid by the
county police department, are reassigned to other law enforcement duties. Thus, DLS
advises that there is no negative fiscal effect on Howard County. However, Howard County
advises that removing the SROs from schools and replacing them with adequate law
enforcement coverage will cost the county $4.1 million and require a total of 58 full-time
equivalent positions.
HB 1189/ Page 2
 Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: None.
Information Source(s): Howard County; Maryland State Department of Education;
Maryland Center for School Safety; Department of Legislative Services
Fiscal Note History: First Reader - March 1, 2021
rh/rhh
Analysis by: Michael C. Rubenstein Direct Inquiries to:
(410) 946-5510
(301) 970-5510
HB 1189/ Page 3


Statutes affected:
Text - First - Howard County Board of Education - School Safety Personnel Ho. Co. 10-21: 71-501 Education, 71-508 Education