A bill allowing school resource officers to issue citations on field trips outside their original jurisdiction passed the state House Committee on Education in a 10-2 roll call vote Tuesday.
Currently, school resource officers have to hold students and contact local law enforcement to report the incident and wait for those officers to issue a citation, but Rep. Bill Gossage, R-Ozark, said his bill would change that.
Gossage said when schools go on trips, incidents could happen away from a city where it may take a long time for local officers to arrive and issue a citation.
Rep. John Walker, D-Little Rock, expressed concerns that the bill would allow for discrimination in schools.
"In Pulaski County, especially in the schools in Maumelle, Jacksonville and the other communities like Sherwood, where you have resource officers they use their police authority to arrest children and put them in the judicial system for things as little as fights…and they are basically little black boys," Walker said. "The opportunity for discrimination is very evident. The path to prison begins with resource officers exceeding their authority in schools."
Gossage said he shared Walker's concerns but that the bill didn't change that students will be issued citations if an incident occurs, it just allows school resource officers to issue the citation themselves.
Walker also voiced concerns that students could be arrested and delivered to local authorities if they refuse to sign the citation.
"I'm uncomfortable with police having this much jurisdiction over children," Walker said. "Your rule gives them too much authority."
Committee members passed the measure 10-2 after Walker asked for a roll call vote, with Walker and Rep. Mark D. McElroy, D-Tillar, voting against.
The bill now heads to the House floor for approval.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
