Georgia CommonsHB 47: School Security Protection and Safety Infrastructure Act; enact
Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action January 16, 2025 · Introduced
The text as LegiScan holds it, read from the PDF the legislature publishes with its margin line numbers, running heads, and page footers removed. Line breaks are joined into paragraphs here; no word is changed.
Underlined words are what the bill adds to current law and struck-through words are what it removes, as the printed bill shows them.
House Bill 47
By: Representatives Davis of the 87th, Scott of the 76th, and Schofield of the 63rd
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 5 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to program weights and funding requirements under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide for QBE funding assistance to eligible public schools to improve school safety infrastructure; to provide for eligibility; to provide for allowable uses of such funding; to provide for policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "School Security Protection and Safety Infrastructure Act."
SECTION 2.
Part 5 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to program weights and funding requirements under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-183, relating to program weights to reflect funds for maintenance and operation of facilities, as follows:
"20-2-183.
(a) All program weights, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to provide for the maintenance and operation of facilities essential for housing instructional programs and essential supportive educational services, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.
(b)(1) All program weights, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to provide funding assistance to reimburse eligible public schools for actual costs incurred to reduce school violence and improve school safety and security. Such funds may be referred to as school security protection and safety infrastructure funds.
(2) The State Board of Education shall annually determine the amount of state funds needed to provide funding assistance to eligible public schools as set forth in paragraph
(1) of this subsection, subject to the following conditions:
(A) No public school shall be considered eligible for such funding assistance unless such school complies with such policies, procedures, regulations, and other requirements as adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection; and
(B) Expenditures allowable under this subsection shall be limited to:
(i) Mobile surveillance camera trailers;
(ii) Onsite command centers;
(iii) Weapon detection technology for large events, daily campus entry, or any other school function;
(iv) Systems designed to detect cigarettes, cigars, consumable vapor products, or alternative nicotine products, as such terms are defined in Code Section 48-11-1; or
(v) Systems designed to detect marijuana as such term is defined in Code Section
16-13-21.
(3) The State Board of Education shall adopt policies, procedures, regulations, and other such requirements as appropriate:
(A) To determine whether a public school is eligible for funding assistance under this subsection;
(B) To establish procedures and requirements for public schools seeking funding assistance under this subsection;
(C) To establish procedures for the Department of Education to evaluate requests by public schools for funding assistance under this subsection;
(D) To calculate the maximum amount of funding assistance each eligible public school is eligible to receive under this subsection, subject to appropriations by the General Assembly;
(E) To annually assess whether and to what extent funding assistance provided to eligible public schools under this subsection is having the intended impact of reducing school violence or improving school safety and security; and
(F) As may be necessary to implement the provisions of this subsection."
SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025, and shall be applicable beginning with the 2026-2027 school year and continuing each school year thereafter.
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.