Sec. 2. (a) The Indiana secured school fund is established to provide:

(1) matching grants to school corporations, charter schools, and accredited nonpublic schools, where the matching grants may be used to:

Terms Used In Indiana Code 10-21-1-2

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Sheriff: means the sheriff of the county or another person authorized to perform sheriff's duties. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
(A) employ a school resource officer, employ a law enforcement officer, or enter into a contract or a memorandum of understanding with a:

(i) local law enforcement agency;

(ii) private entity; or

(iii) nonprofit corporation;

to employ a school resource officer or a law enforcement officer;

(B) conduct:

(i) a site vulnerability assessment of the buildings within a school corporation or the buildings that are operated by a charter school or accredited nonpublic school; or

(ii) critical incident digital mapping of the buildings within a school corporation or the buildings that are operated by a charter school or accredited nonpublic school;

(C) purchase equipment, hardware, materials, and technology to:

(i) restrict access to school property and classrooms;

(ii) assist with visitor management on school property;

(iii) expedite notification of first responders;

(iv) expedite access to school property for first responders;

(v) provide school staff with information about the open or closed status of interior and exterior doors;

(vi) detect fire, chemical, visual, or audible threats;

(vii) enhance emergency communications inside the building; or

(viii) assist with emergency medical response on school property;

(D) implement a student and parent support services plan as described in IC 20-34-9;

(E) purchase or provide training for a canine trained to detect drugs and illegal substances, explosives, or firearms, or to otherwise provide protection for students and school employees and the canine shall:

(i) be primarily assigned to a school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school;

(ii) be primarily assigned to a school resource officer or law enforcement officer described in clause (A) who has received appropriate training for handling a canine trained to detect drugs and illegal substances, explosives, or firearms, or to otherwise provide protection for students and school employees, including training regarding handling a canine in a school setting; and

(iii) receive continuous training as appropriate;

(F) provide funding for school employees to receive training, including expenses for per diem, travel, and lodging, related to:

(i) site vulnerability assessments;

(ii) mental health or behavioral health threat assessments;

(iii) multi-disciplinary threat assessment teams; or

(iv) emergency preparedness or response activities;

(G) provide funding for school resource officers or law enforcement officers described in clause (A) to receive training, including expenses for per diem, travel, and lodging, related to handling a canine trained to detect drugs and illegal substances, explosives, or firearms, or to otherwise provide protection for students and school employees;

(H) purchase student safety management technology;

(I) design and construct additions or renovations on school property if the primary purpose of the construction project is to enhance the physical security of the school building; or

(J) implement a bullying prevention program; and

(2) one (1) time grants to enable school corporations, charter schools, and accredited nonpublic schools with the sheriff for the county in which the school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school is located, to provide the initial set up costs for an active event warning system.

     (b) A school corporation or charter school may use money received under a matching grant for a purpose listed in subsection (a) to provide a response to a threat in a manner that the school corporation or charter school sees fit, including firearms training or other self-defense training.

     (c) The fund shall be administered by the department of homeland security.

     (d) The fund consists of:

(1) appropriations from the general assembly;

(2) federal grants;

(3) amounts deposited from any other public or private source; and

(4) amounts deposited under IC 33-37-9-4.

     (e) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from money in the fund.

     (f) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same manner as other public money may be invested. Interest that accrues from these investments shall be deposited in the fund.

     (g) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not revert to the state general fund.

As added by P.L.172-2013, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.197-2019, SEC.3; P.L.50-2019, SEC.2; P.L.153-2019, SEC.1; P.L.272-2019, SEC.3; P.L.139-2022, SEC.1; P.L.150-2023, SEC.3; P.L.201-2023, SEC.128.