AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO POSSESSION OF A FIREARM OR PROJECTILE WEAPON IN A SAFE SCHOOL ZONE.

This Act does the following: (1) Makes clear that charter schools and private schools may employ a constable or employ or contract for a qualified retired law-enforcement officer to provide security. (2) Creates an exemption in the Safe School Zone law enacted in 2023, Chapter 175 of Volume 84 of the Laws of Delaware (House Bill No. 201, 152nd General Assembly), for an individual authorized by a private school to serve a “sentry”, an individual authorized by the school to carry a firearm or projectile weapon in a Safe School Zone if certain training and notice requirements are complied with. Not every school is able to afford to hire a constable or a police officer who is a school resource officer. Therefore, the General Assembly finds that it is necessary to permit private schools in this State to employ or contract for individuals to serve as a sentry for these schools. The following states have also provided a similar exemption to their equivalent of the Safe School Zone law for a sentry: Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.