SB 173: "An Act requiring school districts to grant qualified persons an assigned duty to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds under certain conditions; relating to standards, training, and continuing education in firearms training for qualified persons granted an assigned duty to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds; relating to communication of school districts with state and local law enforcement; and relating to school crisis response plans."
00 SENATE BILL NO. 173 01 "An Act requiring school districts to grant qualified persons an assigned duty to carry a 02 concealed handgun on school grounds under certain conditions; relating to standards, 03 training, and continuing education in firearms training for qualified persons granted an 04 assigned duty to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds; relating to 05 communication of school districts with state and local law enforcement; and relating to 06 school crisis response plans." 07 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 08 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 09 to read: 10 SHORT TITLE. This Act may be known as the Safe Schools Act. 11 * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 12 read: 13 LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that the concealed carry of
01 firearms on school grounds by certain qualified persons augment responses by law 02 enforcement during a crisis. 03 * Sec. 3. AS 11.61.210(c) is amended to read: 04 (c) The provisions of (a)(7) of this section do not apply to a 05 (1) peace officer acting within the scope and authority of the officer's 06 employment; or 07 (2) qualified person granted an assigned duty under AS 14.03.170 08 to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds. 09 * Sec. 4. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to article 1 to read: 10 Sec. 14.03.170. Granting qualified persons an assigned duty to carry a 11 concealed handgun on school grounds. (a) A school district shall 12 (1) grant one or more persons who meet the requirements of (b) of this 13 section an assigned duty to carry a concealed handgun on the person on school 14 grounds for defensive use unless there is no person available who meets the 15 requirements of (b) of this section; 16 (2) adopt a written policy relating to granting a qualified person an 17 assigned duty to carry a concealed handgun on the person on school grounds; the 18 written policy must, at a minimum, establish the standards and requirements that must 19 be met before granting the assigned duty, and the standards, requirements, and 20 procedures for documentation of initial and continuing education in firearms training 21 for a qualified person to carry a concealed handgun; the physical and mental standards 22 established may not be less stringent than the physical and mental standards the 23 Alaska Police Standards Council has established for the employment of police officers 24 under AS 18.65.240(a)(2); 25 (3) pay the fees for the training and continuing education required by 26 this section of a qualified person who is an employee of the district and compensate 27 the qualified person for time spent attending training and participating in on-site drills 28 as time worked; and 29 (4) pay or reimburse the fees for the training and continuing education 30 required by this section of a qualified person who is a volunteer for the school district 31 and requests payment or reimbursement.
01 (b) A school district shall grant an assigned duty to carry a concealed handgun 02 under this section to a person who 03 (1) agrees to accept the assigned duty; 04 (2) has obtained a permit to carry a concealed handgun under 05 AS 18.65.700 - 18.65.790; 06 (3) has completed a training course that is equivalent to a nationally 07 recognized firearms training course, nationally recognized training course for school 08 resource officers, or the Faculty and Administrator Safety Training and Emergency 09 Response training program offered by the Buckeye Firearms Foundation; 10 (4) meets the physical and mental standards established by the district's 11 governing body under (a)(2) of this section; 12 (5) has completed any training required by the district's insurance 13 policy to be eligible for coverage; and 14 (6) has committed to a period of continuing employment if required by 15 the school district under (c)(1) of this section. 16 (c) A school district may 17 (1) require a person to commit to a period of continuing employment 18 with the district before granting the person an assigned duty to carry a concealed 19 handgun under this section; 20 (2) revoke or suspend a qualified person's assigned duty to carry a 21 concealed handgun at the discretion of the district or at the request of the qualified 22 person; and 23 (3) install lockers with biometric identification locks in each school for 24 storage of handguns by qualified persons, the costs of which may be eligible for 25 reimbursement by the state. 26 (d) Not later than July 1 of each year, each school district shall provide to 27 local and state law enforcement agencies 28 (1) the district's active shooter plan for each of the district's school 29 buildings; 30 (2) the floor plan for each of the district's school buildings; the floor 31 plan must identify locked and unlocked entrances, accessible windows, safe huddle
01 areas, the location of any gun-storage lockers, and the room assignment of each 02 qualified person, if applicable; 03 (3) contact information for each qualified person; 04 (4) the dates in the academic year on which each school building and 05 all school employees will be available for training or on-site drills; and 06 (5) the dates outside of the academic year on which all school 07 buildings, school administrators, and qualified persons will be available for training or 08 on-site drills. 09 (e) The state or a political subdivision of the state, a school board or an 10 individual member of the school board, a principal, or a qualified person is immune 11 from liability that might otherwise be incurred as a result of an injury caused by a 12 qualified person's act or failure to act during a crisis. This subsection does not apply to 13 an act that constitutes gross negligence. 14 (f) This section does not affect a person's ability to lawfully possess a weapon 15 on school grounds without violating AS 11.61.210(a)(7) or (8). 16 (g) In this section, 17 (1) "qualified person" means a person who meets the requirements of 18 (b) of this section and is granted an assigned duty to carry a concealed handgun on 19 school grounds; 20 (2) "school grounds" has the meaning given in AS 11.71.900. 21 * Sec. 5. AS 14.33.100(c) is amended to read: 22 (c) Each district shall annually review and update as appropriate each school's 23 crisis response plan. A copy of each school's crisis response plan, as annually updated, 24 shall be retained by the district and a copy provided to each local agency that has a 25 role in the plan. Notice of completion of the annual review and update and the location 26 of a school's crisis response plan shall be posted at each school in the district. A school 27 crisis response plan shall be printed and available for inspection by the public. The 28 portions of a school crisis response plan relating to floor plans, locked and 29 unlocked entrances, accessible windows, safe huddle areas, the location of any 30 gun-storage lockers, and the identity and location of a qualified person under 31 AS 14.03.170 may not be made available to the public.
01 * Sec. 6. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 02 read: 03 APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to a contract or collective bargaining agreement 04 that becomes legally binding on or after the effective date of this Act.