Relates to creating a school resource officer program to permit the employment of retired law enforcement officers and provide grants to school districts and non-public schools for such purpose.
This bill creates a New York State school resource officer program and authorizes public and nonpublic schools to employ or contract for school resource officers to improve safety and security on school grounds. It defines school resource officers broadly to include retired police officers, retired state troopers, retired deputy sheriffs, active-duty state troopers, police officers, and deputy sheriffs. The bill also states that the primary role of these officers is school safety, while allowing them to take on related duties such as helping develop safety policies, coordinating with law enforcement and community agencies, assisting with emergency drills and safety plans, mentoring students, and supporting school security procedures.
The bill further establishes a grant program beginning in the 2025-2026 school year for public school districts outside New York City, charter schools, and non-public schools. The commissioner of education would distribute grants based on a formula tied to the number of school buildings or enrollment and the applicable aid ratio, with a minimum grant of $50,000. If appropriations are insufficient, grants would be prorated. The bill also amends the retirement and social security law to allow certain retired public safety personnel to be employed as school resource officers, subject to existing post-retirement earnings limits and a requirement that their duties be limited to the school resource officer role.
The bill would affect the Education Law and the Retirement and Social Security Law by creating a new statutory framework for school-based law enforcement staffing and by expanding the circumstances under which retired law enforcement officers may return to work in public service. It would also create a new state-funded aid stream for eligible schools to support security staffing, potentially increasing school district and school access to armed or uniformed safety personnel. The measure applies to both public and nonpublic schools, though it excludes the New York City school district from the grant program.
Based on the bill text and available context, the general sentiment appears supportive of school safety measures and of giving schools more flexibility to hire security personnel. The bill’s framing emphasizes public safety, emergency preparedness, and student well-being, suggesting a pro-security approach. No committee transcript or vote record is available here, so there is no direct evidence of formal support or opposition in the legislative record provided.
The main points of contention likely concern the presence of armed law enforcement in schools, the use of state funds for school security staffing, and the inclusion of nonpublic schools in the grant program. Critics could question whether the bill shifts schools toward a more law-enforcement-centered model of safety, while supporters are likely to argue that it improves protection and emergency response capacity. The retirement-law amendment may also raise questions about post-retirement employment rules and whether the earnings cap and duty restrictions are sufficient.
The bill would add a new section to the Education Law establishing a statewide school resource officer program and would amend the Retirement and Social Security Law to permit certain retired law enforcement personnel to serve in that role under specified conditions. It would authorize schools to hire or contract for school resource officers and would create a state grant program to help fund those positions for eligible public, charter, and nonpublic schools outside New York City. The measure would therefore expand school security staffing options, create new state aid obligations subject to appropriation, and modify post-retirement employment rules for eligible retirees.
The available text suggests a generally favorable sentiment toward school safety staffing and the use of law enforcement personnel in schools. The bill is framed as a public safety measure, with multiple provisions emphasizing security, emergency preparedness, and student well-being. Because no committee discussion or vote history is provided, there is no documented record here of formal opposition or debate, but the structure of the bill indicates a policy preference for expanding school resource officer access.
Likely areas of contention include whether school resource officers improve safety enough to justify their cost and presence in schools, whether state grants should support armed security in both public and nonpublic schools, and whether retired officers should be allowed to return to school-based employment. Supporters would likely emphasize deterrence, emergency response, and flexibility for districts, while opponents may raise concerns about school policing, student discipline impacts, and the use of public funds for security personnel rather than other school services.