SENATE BILL 136

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Michael Padilla

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL SECURITY; CREATING THE FIREARM DETECTION SOFTWARE FUND; PROVIDING FOR GRANTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] FIREARM DETECTION SOFTWARE FUND--GRANTS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.--

          A. The "firearm detection software fund" is created as a nonreverting fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, income from investment of the fund and other revenue credited to the fund. The public education department shall administer the fund, and expenditures from the fund shall be by warrant of the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of public education or the secretary's authorized representative.

          B. Money in the fund is subject to appropriation by the legislature for the purpose of providing grants to school districts and charter schools to contract for firearm detection software that is:

                (1) designed to detect visible unholstered firearms on a public school's premises and alert school personnel and law enforcement;

                (2) able to integrate with a public school's existing surveillance or security system;

                (3) designated as qualified anti-terrorism technology by the United States secretary of homeland security pursuant to 6 U.S.C. Section 441;

                (4) managed by a contracted vendor and connected to a continuously staffed operations center to monitor and respond to detected threats;

                (5) designed and developed in the United States using patented or otherwise proprietary data not accessible by third parties; and

                (6) evidence-based or currently or previously used by a public school, a state agency, another state or the federal government.

          C. Subject to the availability of money in the fund, all school districts and charter schools shall be eligible for grants."

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Five million dollars ($5,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the firearm detection software fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2026 and subsequent fiscal years to provide grants to school districts and charter schools in accordance with the provisions of the fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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