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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 11-11-250 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 2013-2014 ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO EMPLOY AT LEAST ONE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL OF EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THIS STATE; AND TO AMEND SECTION 5-7-12, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, SO AS TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY TO ASSIGN A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUESTS AN OFFICER PURSUANT TO AN APPROPRIATION MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 11-11-250.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 11, Title 11 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 11-11-250. Beginning with the 2013-2014 Annual General Appropriations Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, the General Assembly shall appropriate sufficient funds to employ at least one school resource officer in every school of every public school district in this State. Also, in the annual general appropriations act, the General Assembly shall determine the source of funding to meet the requirements of this section, and shall set forth a method of allocation of school resource officers for each district."
SECTION 2. Section 5-7-12(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 267 of 2008, is further amended to read:
"(A)(1) Subject to the provisions of item (2), the governing body of a municipality or county may upon the request of another governing body or of another political subdivision of the State, including school districts, designate certain officers to be assigned to the duty of a school resource officer and to work within the school systems of the municipality or county. The person assigned as a school resource officer shall have statewide jurisdiction to arrest persons committing crimes in connection with a school activity or school-sponsored event. In all circumstances in which a school resource officer arrests a student for a misdemeanor offense, the officer may issue a courtesy summons to appear to a student involved in the particular incident in connection with a school activity or school-sponsored event. Notwithstanding another provision of law, a student arrested for a misdemeanor offense by a school resource officer must have a bond hearing in magistrates court within twenty-four hours of his arrest. When acting pursuant to this section and outside of the sworn municipality or county of the school resource officer, the officer shall enjoy all authority, rights, privileges, and immunities, including coverage under the workers' compensation laws that he would have enjoyed if operating in his sworn jurisdiction.
(2) If a school district requests the governing body of a municipality or county to designate certain officers to be assigned to the duty of a school resource officer and to work within the school district pursuant to an appropriation made in compliance with Section 11-11-250, the governing body of the municipality or county must designate and assign the requested number of school resource officers. If a municipality or county mandatorily designates and assigns an officer pursuant to this item, the requesting school district must transfer to the municipality or county an amount equal to the cost of each school resource officer, as determined in the annual general appropriations act."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on January 16, 2013 at 4:30 PM