Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s forthcoming budget proposal is said to include $40 million for school safety enhancements.

In addition to the $10 million already budgeted for school safety from former governor Haslam’s plan for the upcoming fiscal year, Lee is adding $30 million to that amount. Of that, $20 million is designated as one-time funding; the remaining $10 million will be recurring funds.

It will likely be used as a safety-grant fund. Lee’s administration plans to sponsor additional legislation prioritizing distribution of those grant monies to fund school resource-officer positions. Some 500 Tennessee schools have no school resource officers.

Schools that already have resource officers may apply to use the funds to implement other safety measures.