School Safety

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "SCHOOL GUARDIAN ACT" BY ADDING ARTICLE 3 TO CHAPTER 66, TITLE 59 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, THE GOVERNING BOARDS OF PUBLIC K-12 SCHOOLS MAY DESIGNATE EMPLOYEES AS SCHOOL GUARDIANS TO PROVIDE ARMED PROTECTION AND OTHER RELATED PUBLIC SAFETY FUNCTIONS ON THEIR CAMPUSES, TO DEFINE RELATED TERMINOLOGY, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS; BY ADDING SECTION 23-23-112 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COUNCIL MUST DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL GUARDIANS THAT MUST BE OFFERED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY, TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS TRAINING, AND TO PROVIDE NECESSARY DEFINITIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 16-23-420, RELATING TO THE EXEMPTIONS FROM THE PROHIBITION OF POSSESSING FIREARMS ON PUBLIC SCHOOL PROPERTY, SO AS TO EXEMPT SCHOOL GUARDIANS; AND TO REDESIGNATE CHAPTER 66, TITLE 59 AS "SCHOOL SAFETY", AND TO REDESIGNATE SECTIONS 59-66-20, 59-66-30, AND 59-66-40 AS "GENERAL PROVISIONS".