• In Kentucky, the General Assembly passed the 2020-2021 budget that includes a $40 million earmark to implement the recently enacted school safety laws. The laws require specific security measures at school buildings, mandate more mental health and counseling services, and provide funding for hiring more school resource officers.
• In Maine, a revised agreement between Portland schools and the police department focuses on the rules for the use of body cameras worn by the officers who are deployed on campus. The agreement includes provisions that body cameras not operate in covert mode and that the videos be downloaded daily to a secure server at the Portland Police Department.
• In Massachusetts, Monomoy Regional High School is deploying a canine as part of its program to fight vaping, known as “Project Connect.” The program will use the dog to increase supervision by detecting marijuana and its active ingredient, THC, as well as nicotine, both of which are used in e-cigarettes and other vaping devices. The dog will also be used for drug awareness classes and school safety presentations at the other schools. This element combines with enhanced health education to discourage student vaping.
• In New Mexico, the governor signed Senate Bill 111, which will provide an incentive for public service retirees to return to work. The law will allow retired teachers, bus drivers, secretaries, professors, and school resource officers to return to work in schools without paying non-refundable contributions into the State Educational Retirement