The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill to allow school systems to use money from the Advancement and Technology Fund for school security.

The bill, by Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, would add school security to the list of allowed uses for money from the Advancement and Technology Fund. The House of Representatives passed it by a vote of 96-4.

About $41 million is expected to be available for K-12 schools from the Advancement and Technology Fund this year, reported AL.com. Schools systems receive a share proportional to their enrollment.

Under current law, reported AL.com, the fund can be used for repairs and deferred maintenance, classroom instructional support, insuring facilities, transportation and education technology and equipment.

Rep. Bill Poole, D-Tuscaloosa, the House education budget chairman, said the bill would allow school systems to use the money for security cameras, making entrances more secure and other nonrecurring uses related to security.

"Any tool we can add to the toolboxes that schools have to keep the premises safe is critical," Poole said.

According to AL.com, the money is not intended to hire personnel, like school resource officers, but it's possible school systems could do so under a contract arrangement.

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/03/bill_allows_schools_to_use_tec.html