H 4249 General Bill, By Knotts

Similar(S 868, H 4250)
 A BILL TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA SAFETY IN SCHOOLS ACT OF 1999", INCLUDING
 PROVISIONS TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING
 SECTION 59-17-135 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR EACH
 MIDDLE, JUNIOR, AND HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN
 WHICH THESE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS SHALL BE EMPLOYED, TRAINED, AND ASSIGNED,
 TO PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT,
 BEGINNING WITH FISCAL YEAR 2000-2001, SHALL PROVIDE CERTAIN FUNDING FOR THESE
 OFFICERS, AND TO REQUIRE EACH MIDDLE, JUNIOR, OR HIGH SCHOOL WITH AN INTERCOM
 SYSTEM TO DEVELOP VERBAL SECURITY CODES TO BE USED TO WARN TEACHERS AND STAFF
 OF CERTAIN TYPES OF IMPENDING DANGER.

   06/03/99  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-99
   06/03/99  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-99

TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA SAFETY IN SCHOOLS ACT OF 1999", INCLUDING PROVISIONS TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-17-135 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR EACH MIDDLE, JUNIOR, AND HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH THESE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS SHALL BE EMPLOYED, TRAINED, AND ASSIGNED, TO PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, BEGINNING WITH FISCAL YEAR 2000-2001, SHALL PROVIDE CERTAIN FUNDING FOR THESE OFFICERS, AND TO REQUIRE EACH MIDDLE, JUNIOR, OR HIGH SCHOOL WITH AN INTERCOM SYSTEM TO DEVELOP VERBAL SECURITY CODES TO BE USED TO WARN TEACHERS AND STAFF OF CERTAIN TYPES OF IMPENDING DANGER.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "South Carolina Safety in Schools Act of 1999".

SECTION 2. The General Assembly finds that a safe and secure school environment is one of the prerequisites to students learning at their full potential. In South Carolina, over nine thousand five school crimes were committed during the 1997-98 school year, an increase of over twenty-one percent. In addition, during the 1997-98 school year, serious crimes increased in our schools by more than twelve percent. A school resource officer can help deal with these problems by being present and in uniform on school campuses to monitor student behavior and enforce the laws of this State. Such an officer in every middle, junior, and high school of this State will make South Carolina schools safer for students and teachers alike, will provide disciplinary assistance and enforcement to teachers and administrators, and will improve the quality of South Carolina public education by reducing and deterring classroom crime and violence.

SECTION 3. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-17-135. (A) The General Assembly in the annual general appropriations act beginning with fiscal year 2000-2001 shall provide seventy-five percent of the funding required to provide a school resource officer for every middle, junior, and high school in this State. The funding provided shall be complementary to and integrated with those school resource officers already in place through the utilization of federal funds. The funding provided by the General Assembly for school resource officers shall include funds for salary, equipment, uniforms, and training.

(B) A school resource officer for purposes of this section is defined as a certified law enforcement officer who shall have the same powers and authority as do deputy sheriffs of the county wherein they are assigned. School resource officers shall be employed by the sheriff of their particular county and shall be assigned for administrative and pay purposes to the sheriff's department. However, they shall work at the schools to which they are assigned on a full-time basis in the manner the governing body of the county in conjunction with the applicable school board shall direct.

(C) A county governing body may elect to accept or not accept the state funding provided in subsection (A) for school resource officers for the schools of that county. If a county governing body elects to accept such state funding, these funds may only be used for school resource officers in the manner required by this section and by law.

(D) Nothing herein prevents a school resource officer from working at more than one school in a school district or county and these officers also may be assigned to cover student interscholastic activities occurring after normal school hours.

(E) Each middle, junior, or high school of this State with an intercom or other type of voice communication system to each classroom shall develop a security code made up of key words known to each teacher and administrator which shall notify them of immediate impending danger if announced over the intercom or voice communication system. Schools are authorized to develop different codes for different types of danger to include weather, fire, and intruders on school property presenting a threat to the physical safety of students and faculty or to the school. School personnel upon hearing the security code shall implement an evacuation plan or other plans designed to be put into effect for that type of danger after the security code has been announced."

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.