School resource officers; local school board to place officer in each public school. (HB66)

Introduced By

Del. David Ramadan (R-South Riding) with support from co-patron Del. Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

School resource officers. Requires each local school board to place a school resource officer in each public elementary and secondary school. All costs resulting from the requirement shall be paid from the Lottery Proceeds Fund. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
12/06/2013Committee
12/06/2013Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/14 14100922D
12/06/2013Referred to Committee on Education
01/10/2014Assigned Education sub: Elementary and Secondary Education
01/22/2014Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)
01/22/2014Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations
01/27/2014Reported from Education (17-Y 5-N) (see vote tally)
01/27/2014Referred to Committee on Appropriations
01/27/2014Assigned App. sub: Elementary & Secondary Education
01/27/2014Impact statement from DPB (HB66)
01/28/2014Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/12/2014Left in Appropriations

Comments

Carol Lindstrom writes:

note in "D" that the funding for this would come from the "lottery", money already designated for education. This changes the existing code such that the school resource officer would be paid for first, then the other things normally paid for with those funds.
When you create a new expense and do not have new revenues to pay for that expense, cuts have to be made. So what will get cut and how will it affect schools?
I think resource officers are a fine idea, BUT, why not find the funding needed to insure that other crucial areas are not cut (building maintenance comes to mind).

Frank Knaack writes:

The ACLU of Virginia opposes the mandatory deployment of school resource officers (SROs) in all Virginia public schools. Virginia does not collect data on the arrests and referrals made by SROs in Virginia’s schools. Furthermore, SROs are not required to have specialized training for interacting with youth. This basic information and training is vital to determining if SROs are being safely and effectively deployed, and should be mandated before any discussion occurs regarding the use of SROs in Virginia schools. Legislators should focus on increasing funding for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, an evidence-based program that has been shown to make our schools safer and more effective.

ACLU-VA Juvenile Justice, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia opposes the mandatory deployment of school resource officers (SROs) in all Virginia public schools. Virginia does not collect data on the arrests and referrals made by SROs in Virginia’s schools. Furthermore, SROs are not required to have specialized training for interacting with youth. This basic information and training is vital to determining if SROs are being safely and effectively deployed, and should be mandated before any discussion occurs regarding the use of SROs in Virginia schools. Legislators should focus on increasing funding for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, an evidence-based program that has been shown to make our schools safer and more effective.

ACLU-VA Legislative Agenda, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia opposes the mandatory deployment of school resource officers (SROs) in all Virginia public schools. Virginia does not collect data on the arrests and referrals made by SROs in Virginia’s schools. Furthermore, SROs are not required to have specialized training for interacting with youth. This basic information and training is vital to determining if SROs are being safely and effectively deployed, and should be mandated before any discussion occurs regarding the use of SROs in Virginia schools. Legislators should focus on increasing funding for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, an evidence-based program that has been shown to make our schools safer and more effective.