(a) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

• (1) Retired law enforcement officer. A person who was a law enforcement officer and retired in good standing from a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency with at least 20 years of law enforcement experience.
• (2) School resource officer. A person who is certified by the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standard and Training Commission as a law enforcement officer, whose certification is in good standing, and who has the power of arrest.

(b) A local board of education may employ persons as school security personnel or contract with a local chief of police or sheriff to employ school resource officers. A local board of education may allow any person employed by the board as school security personnel or as a school resource officer to carry a firearm while on duty if the employee satisfies all of the following qualifications:

• (1) He or she is certified by the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standard and Training Commission as a law enforcement officer whose certification is in good standing or he or she is a retired law enforcement officer.
• (2) He or she has successfully completed active shooter training approved by the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency.
• (3) He or she annually completes and passes the firearm requalification required of law enforcement officers by the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standard and Training Commission.
• (4) While on duty, he or she carries a non-lethal weapon and is trained in the appropriate use of that non-lethal weapon.

(c) Nothing in this section confers upon any individual the power of arrest.

(d) The State Department of Education shall promulgate any necessary rules to provide for the implementation of this section including, but not limited to, rules providing additional qualifications for employment as school security personnel or school resource officers.