Rep. KIRBY proposes the following Amendment No. to H.4025 as Passed By The House

(Doc Name COUNCIL\DG\4025C059.CC.DG25.DOCX):

EXPLANATION:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 63, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, beginning on page 425, by striking paragraph 63.8 and inserting:

/  63.8. (DPS: School Safety Program) (A) Funds appropriated for the School Safety Program and School Resource Officers in this act shall be utilized by the department for the purpose of hiring certified law enforcement officers to serve as a school resource officer for school districts, including the South Carolina Public Charter School District and schools authorized by an institution of higher learning, that otherwise would lack the adequate resources to hire their own school resource officers. In making determinations of eligibility, the department shall use the most recent index of taxpaying ability as the district's indicator of ability to pay with districts of the lowest index of taxpaying ability receiving priority consideration. Districts, in collaboration with a local law enforcement agency of its choosing, must apply for funding through the department. In making awards the department shall provide funding directly to the local law enforcement agency to pay for the cost of the law enforcement officer that shall serve as a full time school resource officer. Unexpended funds may be carried forward and expended for salaries, equipment, and training. School district superintendents shall provide to the department at the end of each quarter the number of full and part-time school resource officers that currently serve schools in their respective districts, regardless of the fund sources supporting those officers.

 (B) Notwithstanding subsection (A), if local law enforcement agencies are unable to assign certified law enforcement officers to a school district, then a school district may employ private security to serve as school safety officers. No district may employ more than one private security safety officer per school. Upon written certification from such local law enforcement agencies stating the inability to assign certified law enforcement officers to serve as school resource officers, the district may apply for and recieve funding through the department.

 (C) The Department of Education shall transfer any fund balance to the Department of Public Safety by August 15.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend totals and titles to conform.