Signed by Governor Tom Wolf

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that allows security personnel to be armed in schools.

Highlights:

• Authorizes schools to apply for the designation of having individuals serve as school police officers, and to authorize those individuals the right to be armed (Sec. 1302).

• Requires schools that employ or contract school police officers to report the following annually (Sec.1303):

• The name of the school and the number of school police officers hired;

• The location and municipality of the school; and

• The date and kind of training that the school police officers have undergone.

• Requires school police officers complete the following training in 6 months or less, starting June 10, 2019 (Sec. 1305):

• The annual training required by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission, or to have graduated from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy; and

• The Basic School Resource Officer Course of Instruction given by the National Association of School Resource Officers or a similar course with the approval of the commission.

• Authorizes school police officers to have the following powers and duties (Sec. 1306):

• The enforcement of good order in school buildings, school buses, and on school grounds;

• The ability to exercise the same authority of law or ordinance given to the police of the respective municipality; and

• The ability to issue citations or detain individuals.

• Authorizes, with the exception of active law enforcement officers, school security guards to be armed conditionally upon competition of the following requirements, including but not limited to (Sec. 1314):

• Being licensed under the Uniform Firearms Act;

• The certification from under the Lethal Weapons Training Act; and

• The completion of the basic school resource officer course of instruction or equivalent course.

• Exempts retired law enforcement officers from the training requirements for school security guards, upon the following conditions (Sec. 1314):

• Following section 8.1 of the Lethal Weapons Training Act; and

• A firearm training and qualification card issued under the Retired Law Enforcement Identification Act.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that allows security personnel to be armed in schools.

Highlights:

• Authorizes schools to apply for the designation of having individuals serve as school police officers, and to authorize those individuals the right to be armed (Sec. 1302).

• Requires schools that employ or contract school police officers to report the following annually (Sec.1303):

• The name of the school and the number of school police officers hired;

• The location and municipality of the school; and

• The date and kind of training that the school police officers have undergone.

• Requires school police officers complete the following training in 6 months or less, starting June 10, 2019 (Sec. 1305):

• The annual training required by the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission, or to have graduated from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy; and

• The Basic School Resource Officer Course of Instruction given by the National Association of School Resource Officers or a similar course with the approval of the commission.

• Authorizes school police officers to have the following powers and duties (Sec. 1306):

• The enforcement of good order in school buildings, school buses, and on school grounds;

• The ability to exercise the same authority of law or ordinance given to the police of the respective municipality; and

• The ability to issue citations or detain individuals.

• Authorizes, with the exception of active law enforcement officers, school security guards to be armed conditionally upon competition of the following requirements, including but not limited to (Sec. 1314):

• Being licensed under the Uniform Firearms Act;

• The certification from under the Lethal Weapons Training Act; and

• The completion of the basic school resource officer course of instruction or equivalent course.

• Exempts retired law enforcement officers from the training requirements for school security guards, upon the following conditions (Sec. 1314):

• Following section 8.1 of the Lethal Weapons Training Act; and

• A firearm training and qualification card issued under the Retired Law Enforcement Identification Act.

Full Bill Text