H.R. 3430: School Resource Officer Funding Protection Act of 2025

This bill, known as the School Resource Officer Funding Protection Act of 2025, seeks to amend existing education law regarding the funding of school resource officers (SROs) in elementary and secondary schools. Below is a summary of the key provisions of the bill:

Funding Requirements

The bill specifies that a State educational agency can only receive federal education funds if it maintains a certain level of funding for school resource officer programs in the schools it serves. This level of funding must be at least:

• The amount that the agency spent on school resource officer programs in the most recent fiscal year when it complied with this requirement or did not receive a waiver.
• The average amount expended by the agency for such programs over the five fiscal years immediately preceding the current fiscal year.

Annual Reporting

Each State educational agency is required to submit an annual report to the Secretary of Education. This report must certify compliance with the funding maintenance requirements and include:

• The total amount of state funding allocated for school resource officer programs during the reporting year and the five preceding years.
• The number of school resource officers active in the schools served by the agency.

Consequences of Noncompliance

If a State educational agency fails to meet the funding requirement and does not have a waiver, the Secretary will reduce the amount of federal education funds that the agency can receive in the following fiscal year. The reduction will be proportional to the shortfall in funding for the school resource officer programs compared to the expenditures in the previous compliant fiscal year.

Waiver Provision

A state may apply for a waiver to the funding requirements if it can demonstrate extraordinary financial circumstances, such as an economic downturn or natural disaster, that led to a decrease in funding for school resource officers.

Definition of School Resource Officer

The bill defines a school resource officer as per the applicable laws governing school safety, specifically referencing definitions established in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968.

Relevant Companies

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