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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
school safety; cell phone bans
Purpose
Expands the School Safety Program (Program) to support the costs of implementing a policy to limit the use of cell phones in school classrooms. Outlines requirements for a Program proposal to implement a policy to limit the use of cell phones in school classrooms.
Background
The Program is established within the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to support, promote and enhance safe and effective learning environments for all students by supporting the costs of placing school resource officers (SRO), juvenile probation officers (JPO), school counselors and school social workers on school campuses.
A Program proposal for supporting the costs of SROs or JPOs must contain:
1) a description of the school safety needs of the school district or charter
school; 2) a plan for implementing a law-related education program or a plan
that demonstrates the existence of a
law-related education program; 3) a plan to use trained SROs or JPOs in the
school; and
4) information on the success, compliance and implementation of the most recent
grant, if the school district or charter school has already participated in the
Program. A Program proposal for supporting the costs of placing school
counselors or school social workers must contain: 1) a description of the
school safety needs of the school district or charter school; 2) a plan for
implementing a school guidance and counseling program that includes outlined
requirements; and 3) information on the success, compliance and implementation
of the most recent approved Program proposal, if the school district or charter
school has already participated in the Program.
ADE must evaluate the effectiveness of all approved Program proposals submitted to support the costs of placing SROs and JPOs or school counselors and school social workers and annually report on Program activities and participants to the Governor, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 1. ADE must establish data guidelines for Program participants to follow for the reporting requirements (A.R.S. § 15-154).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Expands the Program to support the costs of implementing a policy to limit the use of cell phones in school classrooms.
2. Requires a Program proposal to support the costs of implementing a policy to limit the use of cell phones to contain:
a) a detailed description of the school safety needs of the school district or charter school;
b) a plan for implementing a policy to limit the use of cell phones in the classrooms of one or more school sites, including the cost of materials required by the plan; and
c) information on the success, compliance and implementation of the most recent grant, if the school district or charter school has already participated in the Program.
3. Applies the requirements for ADE to evaluate and report on Program proposals for supporting the costs of placing SROs, JPOs, school counselors and school social workers to Program proposals for supporting the costs of implementing a policy to limit the use of cell phones.
4. Makes technical and conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by the Education Committee
1. Expands the Program to support the costs of implementing a policy to limit the use of cell phones, rather than implementing a cell phone ban, in school classrooms.
2. Makes conforming changes.
Senate Action
ED 2/19/25 DPA 4-3-0
APPROP 2/25/25 DP 7-3-0
Prepared by Senate Research
February 25, 2025
MH/KK/ci