2023 Tennessee Code › Title 49 - EDUCATION (§§ 49-1-NEW — 49-50-1703) › Chapter 6 - ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (§§ 49-6-101 — 49-6-8106) › Part 8 - SCHOOLS AGAINST VIOLENCE IN EDUCATION (SAVE) › Section 49-6-817 - School building entrances required to be locked

(a)
Each public school operated by an LEA, public charter school, private school, and church-related school shall ensure that all exterior doors leading into a school building are locked at all times and access to school buildings is limited to the school's primary entrance, unless otherwise determined by school policy, to prevent unauthorized entry into the school building while students are present during the school day as well as when students are present outside of regular school hours for school-related purposes or activities.
(b)
Notwithstanding subsection (a), outside of regular school hours, a public school operated by an LEA, public charter school, private school, or church-related school may unlock the door to the school building's primary entrance during a school-related event or activity if the door is continuously monitored by a school or LEA employee who is physically present at the door to ensure access is limited to only authorized persons and to alert others if an unauthorized person enters, or attempts to enter, the school building.
(c)
State and local law enforcement personnel are authorized to inspect a door serving as an entrance to, or exit from, an LEA or public charter school building to determine whether the door is locked as required by subsection (a). There is no limit on the number of inspections law enforcement personnel may conduct under this subsection (c). Except as provided in subsection (b), if law enforcement personnel find that the door to an entrance or exit from a school building is unlocked in violation of subsection (a), then the school must immediately lock the door and the law enforcement agency that found the unlocked door shall, within twenty-four (24) hours, send written notification to:
(1)
The LEA's director of schools or the leader of the public charter school, as applicable;
(2)
The chair of the local board of education or public charter school governing body, as applicable;
(3)
The head of the parent-teacher organization for the LEA or public charter school, if there is such an organization for the public charter school;
(4)
The school principal;
(5)
The department of safety;
(6)
The department of education; and
(7)
Each local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction.
(d)
The LEA's director of schools, the leader of the public charter school, or their respective designees, shall, within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving notification from the law enforcement agency under subsection (c), send written confirmation to the notifying law enforcement agency that the door was immediately locked as required by subsection (a) and that processes are in place to ensure that the door remains locked as required by subsection (a), except as authorized in subsection (b). The director, leader, or their respective designee shall send a copy of the director's, leader's, or their respective designee's written confirmation to the recipients identified in subdivisions (c)(2)-(7). The director's, leader's, or their respective designee's written confirmation must state whether the LEA or public charter school has a full-time school resource officer whose primary location is the school found to be in violation of subsection (a).
(e)
(1)
If an LEA or public charter school is found to have violated subsection (a) on two (2) or more occasions in one (1) school year, then:
(A)
(i)
If the LEA or public charter school does not currently have a school resource officer whose primary location is the school found to have violated subsection (a) on two (2) or more occasions in one (1) school year, the LEA or public charter school shall cause a full-time school resource officer or armed school security officer to be posted at the school. The LEA or public charter school shall bear the cost of posting the school resource officer or armed school security officer. The school resource officer or armed school security officer must be posted at the school within thirty (30) days from the date on which the LEA or public charter school received notification under subsection (d) of the school's second violation of subsection (a). The LEA or public charter school shall notify the commissioner of education that the required school resource officer or armed school security officer is posted. If the LEA or public charter school fails to have a school resource officer or armed school security officer posted within thirty (30) days as required in this subdivision (e)(1)(A), then the LEA or public charter school must submit a letter to the commissioner of education every thirty (30) days that an officer is not posted explaining why the LEA or public charter school, as applicable, has not had an officer posted; and
(ii)
If the department of education receives notice of a subsequent violation of subsection (a) by the school in one (1) school year, the commissioner shall withhold state funds from the LEA or public charter school, in either the current or upcoming school year, in the following amounts:
(a)
For a third violation of subsection (a) committed by a school in one (1) school year, two percent (2%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA;
(b)
For a fourth violation of subsection (a) committed by a school in one (1) school year, four percent (4%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA;
(c)
For a fifth violation of subsection (a) committed by a school in one (1) school year, six percent (6%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA;
(d)
For a sixth violation of subsection (a) committed by a school in one (1) school year, eight percent (8%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA; and
(e)
For a seventh violation of subsection (a) committed by a school in one (1) school year, ten percent (10%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA; or
(B)
If the LEA or public charter school currently has a full-time school resource officer or armed school security officer whose primary location is the school found to have violated subsection (a) on two (2) or more occasions, the commissioner shall withhold state funds from the LEA or public charter school, in either the current or upcoming school year, in the following amounts:
(i)
For the second violation of subsection (a) committed by the school in one (1) school year, two percent (2%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA;
(ii)
For a third violation of subsection (a) committed by the school in one (1) school year, four percent (4%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA;
(iii)
For a fourth violation of subsection (a) committed by the school in one (1) school year, six percent (6%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA;
(iv)
For a fifth violation of subsection (a) committed by the school in one (1) school year, eight percent (8%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA; and
(v)
For a sixth violation of subsection (a) committed by the school in one (1) school year, ten percent (10%) of the annual state funds generated by the school in the TISA.
(2)
If funds are withheld pursuant to subdivision (e)(1)(A) or (B), then the funds must be withheld until:
(A)
The LEA or public charter school has the required school resource officer or armed school security officer posted at the school; and
(B)
The LEA or public charter school submits to the department of education, and receives the department's approval of, a corrective action plan. The corrective action plan must include:
(i)
A statement or other evidence demonstrating that the violation of subsection (a) has been remedied;
(ii)
Actions to be taken by the LEA or public charter school to resolve the behavior or issue that contributed to, or caused, the violation, including any new written procedures or training;
(iii)
Deadlines for the LEA or public charter school to successfully complete the actions identified in the corrective action plan pursuant to subdivision (e)(2)(B)(ii); and
(iv)
Dates for the LEA or public charter school to submit reports and documentation to the department to verify the LEA's or public charter school's implementation of the actions identified in the corrective action plan pursuant to subdivision (e)(2)(B)(ii).
(3)
The percentage of any funds withheld pursuant to subdivision (e)(1)(A) or (B) must be calculated by the department of education based on the amount of state funds generated by the school in the TISA for the previous school year. If a public charter school did not generate state funds in the previous school year, then the percentage of any funds withheld pursuant to subdivision (e)(1)(A) or (B) must be based on the average amount of state funds generated by the schools in the LEA in which the public charter school is located.
(f)
As used in this section:
(1)
"Armed school security officer" means an off-duty law enforcement officer providing school security services pursuant to §
49-6-809
;
(2)
"Church-related school" means a school as defined in §
49-50-801
; and
(3)
"Private school" means a school accredited by, or a member of, an organization or association approved by the state board of education as an organization accrediting or setting academic requirements in schools, or that has been approved by the state, or is in the future approved by the commissioner in accordance with rules promulgated by the state board of education.
Added by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 367, s 10, eff. 7/1/2023.