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Committee backs bill allowing local schools to employ school safety officers with defined training and liability rules
Summary
The committee advanced House Bill 2164, which would permit county boards, public charter schools and private schools to employ school safety officers, define minimum training, allow firearm carriage under conditions, and set liability and training coordination requirements. The measure was reported to the full Senate with referral to Finance.
The West Virginia Senate Education Committee voted to report House Bill 2164 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass, and that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.
Committee counsel Hank described the bill as setting minimum recommendations for training, employment and in-service curriculum for school safety officers and establishing written certification requirements. "The bill also allows local school boards, public charter schools, and private schools to employ school safety officers and allow school safety officers to carry a firearm in the performance of their duties, under certain conditions which are specified in the bill," Hank told the committee.
Counsel said the bill specifies limits on arrest authority (school safety officers would be prohibited from arresting another person but could notify appropriate law enforcement) and addresses interrogation practices: counsel explained it would allow school safety officers to "interrogate a detained minor without the knowledge and consent of the minor's parent" under the language in the draft. The bill would require schools that employ such officers to provide necessary equipment at the school's expense and maintain adequate insurance coverage, which may include the Board of Risk and Insurance Management.
The measure would permit the use of certain prior law-enforcement training toward the mandatory in-service training: Hank explained that eight hours of the mandatory 16 hours of in-service training for law enforcement officers can be credited when an individual is employed as a school safety officer. All school safety officers hired would be subject to the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act, counsel said. The bill would also make county boards responsible for liability and require annual joint training with the county sheriff's department where the officer is assigned.
Several senators said the bill provides additional options for school systems that are short-staffed and already rely on school resource officers or local law enforcement. The senator from Wetzel asked whether the measure would replace school resource officers provided by sheriffs or city departments; counsel replied it could be another option in addition to existing SRO arrangements.
The committee's vice chair moved to report the bill to the full Senate with recommendation that it pass, under the original double committee reference first to Finance. The motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.
