Tennessee Bill Allowing Law Enforcement To Assign SROs To Schools That Do Not Request One Signed By Governor Lee

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The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

Governor Lee has signed legislation that will allow law enforcement officials to assign school resource officers to schools that have not entered into an agreement between the local school board and law enforcement agency to obtain one.

Both bodies passed SB1715/HB1664, sponsored by Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28) and Representative Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill-District 92), which reads, “As introduced, authorizes a law enforcement agency to assign a law enforcement officer to serve as a school resource officer at a school within a local board of education’s control that has not entered into a memorandum of understanding with a law enforcement agency to assign a school resource officer to the school. – Amends TCA Title 8; Title 37; Title 38; Title 49 and Title 62.”

This bill will amend current law by allowing SROs to be assigned to schools even if there is not a “memorandum of understanding” between the law enforcement agency and the local board of education. 

Law enforcement agencies will be able to send an SRO to the school and notify the school board and school administration of that decision.

The legislation will be assigned a public chapter number and will go into effect on July 1, 2024.