KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Gov. Bill Lee announced one week after the shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville that legislators are taking additional steps to strengthen safety at public and private schools in the state.
The measures include enhanced legislation and funding to place an armed security guard at every Tennessee public school, boost physical school security at public and private schools and provide additional mental health resources for Tennesseans.
Lee introduced a bill to strengthen physical security at every public school and enhance accountability in school safety protocol at the beginning of the 2023 legislative session.
Lee's budget proposal included $30 million for 122 Homeland Security agents to serve students at both public and private schools in every county. These school safety measures were mentioned in the 2023 State of the State address in February.
Since The Covenant School shooting, Lee has amended the legislation and the budget proposal.
Here is the new legislation:
- Enacts a multi-tiered accountability plan to ensure exterior school doors are locked while students are present, with opportunities for corrective action. State and local law enforcement will be authorized to check for unlocked doors.
- Requires that private security guards are held to a high standard and receive active shooter training prior to being posted at Tennessee schools.
- Requires every school district to establish threat assessment teams, a nationally recognized best practice to ensure students are connected to support services and behavioral health professionals, when appropriate.
- Requires every public and private school to develop annual safety plans, which must include a newly required incident command drill for school leaders and law enforcement to prepare for what to expect in various emergencies.
The budget includes:
- $30 million to expand a statewide homeland security network with 122 agents serving students at both public and private schools.
- $140 million to establish a School Resource Officer (SRO) grant fund to place a trained, armed security guard at every public school.
- $20 million for public school security upgrades.
- $7 million for private school security upgrades.
- $8 million for additional school-based behavioral health liaisons across the state.
“There is nothing more important than our students safely returning home each day,” Lee said. “As Tennessee grieves the tragic loss of six precious lives in the Covenant shooting, we are taking additional actions to significantly boost safety measures at every school with highly-trained guards, physical security enhancements and mental health resources. I thank Lieutenant Governor McNally, Speaker Sexton and members of the General Assembly for their partnership as we pursue thoughtful, practical solutions to protect Tennessee students and teachers.”