Assigned to JUDE FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2022
school safety; employee certification; policies
Purpose
Establishes the Save Our Children School Safety Program (Program) within the Arizona
Department of Education (ADE) and authorizes school employees at eligible schools who are
certified through the Program to possess and carry firearms on school grounds. Requires the
Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) to work in consultation with ADE
to develop uniform standards and training for school employees.
Background
A school district governing board must prescribe and enforce policies and procedures that
prohibit a person from carrying or possessing a weapon on school grounds unless the person is a
peace officer or has obtained specific authorization from the school administrator (A.R.S.
§ 15-341). Similarly, the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) prohibits the use, possession, display
or storage of any weapon on university property with certain exceptions. ABOR does not allow an
exemption for concealed carry permit holders (ABOR Policy Manual 5-303 and 5-308).
Knowingly possessing a deadly weapon on school grounds constitutes a violation of
misconduct involving weapons, which is classified as a class 1 misdemeanor, or a class 6 felony in
certain circumstances. This prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is: 1) possessed for the
purpose of conducting a hunter or firearm safety course; 2) used on school grounds in a program
approved by the school; or 3) not loaded and that is carried within a vehicle under the control of
an adult, provided that if the adult leaves the vehicle, the firearm is not visible from outside the
vehicle and the vehicle is locked (A.R.S. § 13-3102).
AZPOST is responsible for prescribing reasonable minimum qualifications for officers to
be appointed to enforce the laws of Arizona, and minimum courses of training and minimum
standards for training facilities for law enforcement officers (A.R.S. § 41-1822).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Program within ADE for employee training, emergency preparedness and crisis
response.
2. Requires ADE, in consultation with AZPOST, to develop and maintain a list of training and
certification programs, including annual recertification programs, that meet or exceed newly
established uniform AZPOST standards for schools and school employees. FACT SHEET
H.B. 2022
Page 2
3. Allows an eligible school to adopt policies and procedures to authorize one or more employees
to possess and carry a firearm on school grounds if the eligible school:
a) notifies local law enforcement agencies and ADE of the number of employees who are
authorized to possess and carry a firearm on school grounds;
b) ensures that each employee who is authorized to possess and carry a firearm on school
grounds has a valid certification pursuant to the Program; and
c) complies with outlined confidentiality requirements.
4. Allows a school administrator to authorize an employee to carry or possess a firearm on school
grounds if the school allows for such activity and the employee meets the requirements
prescribed above.
5. Requires AZPOST, in consultation with ADE, to establish uniform standards for training and
certification programs, for which a school or school employee may be reimbursed, to include
the following:
a) for initial certification:
i. at least 4 hours of use-of-force training provided by a peace officer, an attorney or a
firearms safety training instructor as prescribed;
ii. at least 24 hours of firearms training provided by a peace officer, a firearms safety
training instructor as prescribed, or an instructor who conducts a pistol qualifying
examination as outlined;
iii. at least 4 hours of tactical emergency casualty care training provided by an emergency
medical care technician (EMCT), a registered nurse or a licensed physician; and
iv. at least 8 hours of live scenario training that tests competency in the above outlined
subjects; and
b) for annual recertification:
i. an AZPOST-prescribed firearms qualification course; and
ii. continuing education and review of tactical emergency casualty care training by an
EMCT, a registered nurse or a licensed physician.
6. Establishes the Save Our Children School Safety Program Fund (Fund) consisting of
legislative appropriations, gifts, grants and other donations to be administered by ADE.
7. Requires ADE to use monies in the Fund for reimbursements on first-come, first-served basis
for:
a) an eligible school that has either:
i. paid for one or more of the eligible school's employees to complete a prescribed
training or certification program; or
ii. purchased school safety equipment, including medical kits, safety tools and protective
gear for use at one or more school sites; and
b) an individual who:
i. is employed by an eligible school;
ii. has paid for and successfully completed a prescribed training or certification program;
and
iii. is not reimbursed by the eligible school for the costs of the training or certification
program.
8. Specifies that monies in the Fund are continuously appropriated and exempt from lapsing. FACT SHEET
H.B. 2022
Page 3
9. States that, notwithstanding any other law, the personal identifying information of each school
employee who participates in a training or certification program and who is authorized to
possess and carry a firearm on school grounds is confidential and not subject to public
disclosure.
10. Specifies that personal identifying information includes the employee's name, training
schedule and deployment.
11. Classifies a violation of releasing personal identifying information as a class 1 misdemeanor.
12. Stipulates that a school employee who has a valid certification from the Program, and who acts
in good faith and consistently with Program certification, is not subject to civil or criminal
liability for their actions in defense of students, school employees or school visitors during an
active threat or crisis event.
13. Specifies that policies and procedures adopted by a school constitutes a school-approved
program for the purpose of the exemption from misconduct involving weapons.
14. Requires ADE, on or before December 31 of each odd-numbered year, to submit a report on
the Program to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the Secretary of State that includes:
a) the total number of school employees who have a valid certification from the Program;
b) the total number of school employees who are authorized to possess and carry a firearm on
school grounds;
c) the amount of monies available in the Fund;
d) information regarding any incident or Program feedback submitted by eligible schools,
school employees and law enforcement agencies; and
e) recommendations, if any, to improve the Program.
15. Defines eligible school as a public school in Arizona that offers instruction to K-12 students.
16. Requires ADE to post the list of certification programs and the bi-annual reports on ADE's
website.
17. Makes technical and conforming changes.
18. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 1/14/25 DPA 7-5-0-0
JUD 1/22/25 DP 6-3-0-0
3
rd
Read 2/3/25 33-26-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 3, 2025
ZD/slp