Tennessee House Education Administration Passes Bill Allowing Law Enforcement Agencies To Assign Officers To Schools That Fail To Request One
Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
The Tennessee House Education Administration Committee moved forward with legislation that would allow law enforcement agencies to assign an officer to serve as a school resource officer at a school that fails to request that one be assigned.
House Bill 1664 (HB1664), sponsored by Representative Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill-District 92), amends current law by allowing SROs to be assigned to schools without there being a “memorandum of understanding” between the law enforcement agency and the local board of education.
In such cases, law enforcement would be allowed to take control by assigning an officer and notifying the school board and the school administration.
Chairman Mark White (R-Memphis-District 83) called for questions and, seeing none, then called for a voice vote.
The bill passed the committee with ayes prevailing. It will not be referred to the Calendar and Rules Committee to be scheduled for the House floor.
The companion Senate Bill 1715 (SB1715), sponsored by Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28), was scheduled to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday but was deferred to their March 26 calendar.
