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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
schools; weapons detection systems; administration
Purpose
Allows, if a school district or charter school has a weapons detection system, the school district governing board (governing board) or charter school governing body (governing body) to authorize the school district superintendent or highest-ranking charter school officer to modify the weapons detection system without prior approval. Requires a school district superintendent or the highest-ranking charter school officer to report each modification within 24 hours after the modification is made. Prohibits a governing board or governing body from authorizing any other person to modify the weapons detection system without prior approval.
Background
A governing board may employ a school district superintendent, principal or both. If the governing board employs a school district superintendent, the governing board must determine the qualifications for the school district superintendent by action taken at a public meeting. Each governing board must prescribe and enforce policies and procedures that prohibit a person from carrying or possessing a weapon on school grounds, unless the person is a peace officer or has obtained specific authorization from the school administrator (A.R.S. §§ 15-341 and 15-503).
A charter school's charter must ensure compliance with federal, state and local rules, regulations and statutes relating to health, safety, civil rights and insurance. Each charter representative, governing body member and officer, director, member and partner of a charter holder, as allowed by the charter holder, may have: 1) access to the charter school's students and student records; 2) unrestricted access to the charter school's campuses; 3) authority to make final decisions regarding student learning in the charter school; and 4) authority to make final decisions regarding the safety of the charter school's students and school campuses (A.R.S. § 15-183).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Stipulates that, if a school district has a weapons detection system at a school that is operated by the school district, the policies and procedures that prohibit a person from carrying or possessing a weapon on school grounds may authorize the school district superintendent to modify the weapons detection system without prior approval by the governing board.
2. Stipulates that, if a charter school has a weapons detection system, the governing body may authorize the highest-ranking charter school officer who has authority to make final decisions regarding the safety of the charter school's students and school campuses to modify the weapons detection system without prior approval by the governing body.
3. Requires a school district superintendent or the highest-ranking charter school officer who is authorized to modify a weapons detection system to report each modification to the applicable governing board or governing body not later than 24 hours after the school district superintendent or the highest-ranking charter school officer makes the modification.
4. Prohibits a governing board from prescribing policies and procedures that authorize any person other than the school district superintendent to modify the weapons detection system without prior approval by the governing board.
5. Prohibits a governing body from authorizing any other individual to modify the weapons detection system without prior approval from the governing body.
6. Makes technical and conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 2/17/26 DP 8-3-0-1
3rd Read 2/26/26 37-16-7-0-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 23, 2026
MH/KP