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S.B.711 would let trained adults direct school drop‑off traffic; subcommittee advances bill
Summary
S.B.711 would allow school districts to hire trained adults (separate from volunteer crossing guards) to direct traffic during school drop‑off and pick‑up; supporters cited a 2014 attorney general opinion that limited prior practice and said the Criminal Justice Academy will provide training; subcommittee advanced the bill 8‑0.
A committee member summarized S.B.711 as authorizing school districts to hire trained adults to direct traffic during drop‑off and pick‑up, distinct from volunteer crossing guards. J.W. Ragley (Great Collegiate Academy) and Debbie Elmore (School Boards Association) testified that many districts lack sufficient uniformed officers to handle traffic control and that the bill would restore an option for trained adults to manage school‑adjacent traffic congestion and safety. Elmore said a 2014 attorney general’s opinion and a federal handbook interpretation had limited prior practice to uniformed officers and that the bill would explicitly authorize trained personnel limited to drop‑off/pick‑up contexts.
Witnesses and members discussed training and safety protocols. Committee members asked whether the bill prescribes training content and uniforms; witnesses said the Criminal Justice Academy will develop training and that the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices will dictate reflective garments or vests but that the bill does not stipulate precise training hours or curriculum. Representative Grant moved to approve S.B.711, and the subcommittee voted to give it a favorable report to the full committee; the chair announced the vote as 8‑0.
