TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-66-25 SO AS TO REQUIRE EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REQUEST A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR EACH SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT; AND TO AMEND SECTION 5-7-12, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, SO A TO REQUIRE THE PROVISION OF A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER IN EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL UPON REQUEST.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Chapter 66, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-66-25.    (A)    Each school district in the State shall request a school resource officer for each school in the district pursuant to Section 5-7-12 within seven days of the effective date of this act.

(B)    To ensure continuous presence of a school resource officer at each public school during regular operating hours, if at any time a school resource officer is not present on the campus of a public school during the regular operating hours of the school:

(1)    any employee of the district who becomes aware that a resource officer is not present shall immediately notify the principal or his designee of the absence;

(2)    the principal or his designee shall, upon receipt of notice that the resource officer is not present, immediately notify the law enforcement agency that assigned the resource officer of the absence; and

(3)    the law enforcement agency, upon receipt of notice that the resource officer is not present, immediately shall dispatch another officer to the school and assign this officer to serve as the resource officer for the school until the assigned officer resumes his presence at the school."

SECTION    2.    Section 5-7-12(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 267 of 2008, is further amended to read:

"(A)    The governing body of a municipality or county may shall upon the request of another governing body or of another political subdivision of the State, including school districts, designate certain officers to be assigned to the duty of a school resource officer and to work within the school systems of the municipality or county. The person assigned as a school resource officer shall have statewide jurisdiction to arrest persons committing crimes in connection with a school activity or school-sponsored event. In all circumstances in which a school resource officer arrests a student for a misdemeanor offense, the officer may issue a courtesy summons to appear to a student involved in the particular incident in connection with a school activity or school-sponsored event. Notwithstanding another provision of law, a student arrested for a misdemeanor offense by a school resource officer must have a bond hearing in magistrates court within twenty-four hours of his arrest. When acting pursuant to this section and outside of the sworn municipality or county of the school resource officer, the officer shall enjoy all authority, rights, privileges, and immunities, including coverage under the workers' compensation laws that he would have enjoyed if operating in his sworn jurisdiction."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.