Maryland Senate Expands On School Safety Bill

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland Senate has expanded a measure to improve school safety by requiring a school resource officer or otherwise adequate law enforcement coverage at all public schools by the start of next school year.

The Senate voted 23-22 Thursday for changing a measure aimed at creating consistent standards for school safety statewide.

The bill initially would have required only public high schools to either have a school resource officer or assurances of adequate law enforcement coverage by the start of the next school year. Local school systems would have had until July 1 of next year to develop a plan to implement the policy.

Senators who supported the change said they didn't want to wait on middle and elementary schools. Some questioned how the accelerated implementation would be paid for.

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