LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A bill meant to bolster school safety by allowing school districts to hire retired law officers or military veterans to work as armed guardians won passage in the Kentucky Senate on Tuesday, but it has mixed reviews from Kentucky's Fraternal Order of Police.
The proposal, sponsored by Republican Sen. Max Wise, is designated as Senate Bill 2 — reflecting its priority status in the Senate.
Around half of Kentucky school buildings are without an SRO, despite a state law that requires one. In an effort to offset the problem, Wise is advocating for the bill.
The school safety bill would allow local school boards to hire and assign guardians at schools. Their hiring would be optional for local boards. Districts could employ as many guardians as administrators deem necessary. The guardian program would begin in the 2025-26 school year if the bill becomes law.
Guardians could fill the void at schools lacking armed school resource officers — typically members of local law enforcement agencies — or they could serve alongside SROs. Guardians would be allowed to carry concealed weapons on school grounds.
"It sounds nice, but there's, there are concerns," said Vice President of Kentucky State FOP, Ryan Straw. "There's a lot of uncertainty."
Guardians would undergo the first tier of SRO training, check off a list of requirements, and undergo physical and psychological screenings.
Those eligible to serve as guardians would include honorably discharged military veterans, retired state troopers, retired law enforcement officers and former federal agents.
Straw said he appreciates Wise's efforts, and favors the idea, but adds the bill's current version needs improvement and better interpretation before he can fully support it.
"We don't want it to circumvent the ability to have school resource officers in schools," Straw said.
Straw's concern is it takes away efforts to put qualified and fully trained SROs in schools.
"I would love to see something where we could fast track these retired officers or even military folks in to an SRO role," Straw said.
Straw said in conversations he's had, retired officers also have their concerns.
"The ability to be sued or the ability to be held liable for something, there's no protections for those folks in there," he said. "When we read the bill, we were able to see the qualified immunity didn't stretch all the way over there."
The bill also includes mental health segments. It would increase suicide prevention awareness and training for teachers and students and expand the scope of student support. It would foster a team approach among school psychologists, social workers, school resource officers and mental health providers.
The bill cleared the GOP-led Senate on a 28-10 vote and goes to the House.
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