NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Governor Bill Lee has signed into law legislation focused on enhancing school safety.
The legislation includes an investment of more than $230 million in funding for school safety, including funds for one full-time School Resource Officer at every public school, public and private school security upgrades as well as Homeland Security agents and behavioral health liaisons.
Governor Lee introduced a bill at the beginning of the 2023 legislative session focused on strengthening these areas and on Monday, announced the date to call members back to the state capitol for a special session on public safety and Second Amendment rights.
Detail-wise, the "Enhanced School Safety Legislation" will enact an accountability plan to ensure exterior doors are locked while students are present, require private security guards to receive active shooter training prior to being placed at schools and have an established threat assessment team for every school district to ensure students are connected to support services and behavioral health professionals when appropriate.
It would also require both public and private schools to develop annual safety plans and have incident command drills for school leaders and law enforcement.
The more than $230 million in funding will be dispersed in the following ways:
- $30 million for more than 100 Homeland Security agents across all 95 counties to serve Tennesseans and students in both public and non-public schools
- $140 million for one full-time, armed School Resource Officer (SRO) for every public school
- $40 million for public school security upgrades
- $14 million for private school security upgrades
- $8 million for additional School-Based Behavioral Health Liaisons across the state
