NASHVILLE – A $40 million proposal to improve school safety is advancing in the Tennessee Legislature.
The House Education Committee agreed Wednesday to send the Gov. Bill Lee-backed bill to a finance panel to be reviewed, according to The Associated Press.
The proposal sparked a lengthy discussion among lawmakers concerned the bill was being oversold on how it would help schools.
According to the bill, the funding would be distributed as safety grants to help pay for school resource officers and other safety priorities. Schools would provide matching funds to get grants.
Multiple lawmakers noted the money currently allocated is not enough to fund a school resource officer at all of Tennessee’s roughly 1,800 schools. Others asked why the state didn’t pursue cheaper options, including the possibility of arming more teachers rather than hiring an officer.
Currently, about 500 schools across the state do not have school resource officers, and in Hamilton County, only 31 of the system’s schools have them.
Last month, Lee announced he was seeking additional funding for the school safety grant fund established last year by then-Gov. Bill Haslam.
“The safety of our children and teachers is a top priority for my administration, and this investment ensures that school districts will have the resources they need to better protect our schools,” Lee said in a news release at the time.
This is a developing story.
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$40 million proposal to improve school safety advances in Tennessee Legislature
