dbeard@dominionpost.com
MORGANTOWN – The Senate Education Committee sailed through two school safety bills Tuesday morning.
One resurrects the West Virginia Guardian Program. The other would require public schools to install a panic alarm system.
SB 450 is the Guardian bill. It would permit a county school board to contract with former (it specifies retired in a separate section) law enforcement officer to provide security on school campuses.
The Guardian would be authorized to carry a weapon after meeting specified requirements. The bill spells out required training and testing. The Guardian would not be a law enforcement officer and have no power to arrest.
The bill would require a potential Guardian to pay $50 for a permit from the county sheriff. The sheriff would use the money for the permitting program. Any surplus funds at the end of the fiscal year could be used for other law enforcement purposes and operating needs of the sheriff’s office.
County participation would be voluntary, subject to available funding. No state money would be provided.
The committee approved the bill without discussion. It goes next to Finance.
Last year, the House and Senate had competing versions of this bill. The House version would have allowed public, charter and private schools to employ armed security officers who were former law enforcement officers.
The Senate version, like this year’s, would have the Guardians as contractors, But it was slightly more expansive, including honorably discharged veterans.
The competing approaches went to conference committee on the last day of the 2024 session but went unresolved before the session adjourned.
Panic alarms
SB 434 would require each public school – including charters – to have on campus a wearable panic alarm system. Each employee would be trained how to wear and use the alarm.
The alarm would be tied to the local emergency alert system to be able to transmit 911 calls and mobile activations, and to initiate campus-wide lockdown notifications.
The bill would require local law enforcement to have access to campus security data, including cameras, maps and access control.
Sen. Robbie Morris, R-Randolph, asked how much this will cost and who will pay for it. Committee counsel said the bill doesn’t specify. Further discussion indicated that if the state doesn’t provide money it would fall to the counties.
Sen. Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh, offered a successful amendment to specify that the bill only applies to public schools. That leaves it optional for private schools.
SB 434 also heads to Finance.
