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HF 476

A bill for an act establishing the school resource officer grant program within the department of education, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Dave Jacoby

The bill would create a dedicated fund and grants to help districts pay for one school resource officer per high school, with ongoing state funding.

Introduced, referred to Education.
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Bill Summary · HF 476

Summary: HF 476 — School Resource Officer Grant Program

Overview

HF 476 proposes creating a dedicated grant program within the Department of Education to help school districts offset the costs of employing or retaining one school resource officer (SRO) for each high school in the district. The bill establishes a new fund, sets eligibility and awarding criteria, and directs annual state funding to fulfill grant requests from districts that apply.

Purpose and Intent

  • Provide financial support to school districts for SROs, aiming to improve safety and engagement at high schools.
  • Ensure grants supplement, rather than replace, existing public funding for similar purposes.

Key Provisions

  • Section 256.20 establishes the School Resource Officer Grant Program and authorizes grants to districts for each high school in the district to offset SRO costs (as defined by 34 U.S.C. § 10389).
  • The State Board of Education will adopt rules under chapter 17A governing:
    • Grant application materials
    • Eligibility requirements
    • Award criteria
    • Approval or rejection of district applications
  • Grants must be used to supplement, not supplant existing public funding for similar purposes.
  • A dedicated School Resource Officer Grant Program Fund is created in the state treasury, administered by the Department of Education. The fund consists of:
    • General fund appropriations
    • Other moneys received for deposit to the fund
  • Funds in the account are not limited by annual lapsing; they shall remain available for subsequent fiscal years. Interest or earnings on the fund accrue to the fund.
  • For the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025, and each following year, there is an appropriation from the General Fund to the grant program fund to provide grants to all districts that submitted an application under this section (text ends with district-specific language in the introduced version).

Funding and Administration

  • The program is funded through a dedicated fund in the state treasury and annual General Fund appropriations.
  • The fund’s resources are designed to persist across fiscal years; unspent funds roll forward.
  • Interest earnings stay in the fund.

Eligibility and Administration Details

  • Districts may apply to receive grants for SRO costs for each high school.
  • The State Board sets eligibility and award criteria and approves or rejects applications.
  • Rules will cover application materials, eligibility thresholds, and awarding standards.

Who Is Affected

  • Public school districts with high schools, and their SROs.
  • The Department of Education, which would administer the program.
  • The State Board of Education, which would establish rules.

Timelines and Process

  • Introduced and referred to the Education committee on February 19, 2025.
  • If enacted, rules would be adopted to implement the program (per 17A).
  • The introduced text specifies a July 1, 2025 fiscal-year start for the initial appropriation, with ongoing annual funding thereafter.

Sponsor

  • Primary: JACOBY (sponsor listed)

Notes

  • The text provided does not include an explicit effective date beyond fiscal-year funding beginning July 1, 2025.
  • The description reflects the language in the introduced version, including the per-high-school SRO grant concept and the funding structure.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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