Hobbs signs bill expanding ways Arizona schools can use state safety grants

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has signed a new school safety bill into law. It expands the state’s School Safety Program in multiple ways, including allowing retired police officers to serve as school resource officers.

House Bill 2074, sponsored by Rep. Matt Gress (R-Phoenix), was approved by the Legislature in April. It also gives schools more flexibility in how they can spend school safety grants distributed by the Arizona Department of Education.

For example, they can use the funds to pay for safety technology or training if they can’t find an available officer. Earlier this year, Gress said it’s a way to make sure the funds go to protecting kids, rather than sitting in a bank account.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne and Republicans in the Legislature backed a similar bill last year that didn’t make the cut.

The new law also requires schools to create emergency response plans, train officers how to interact with children with disabilities, and exempts school blueprints from public records requests.

In a written statement, Gress said: “I’m proud that this bill has been signed — crafted through collaboration with educators, certified mental health professionals, law enforcement, legislators, and Superintendent Tom Horne — into law. This marks a major step forward in implementing meaningful, commonsense school safety enhancements.”