§416.10. Visitor authorization; public elementary or secondary school grounds, buildings, and other facilities

A.(1) To provide learning environments that are humane, just, and designed to promote excellence and to better maintain safety and good order at public elementary and secondary schools in this state, effective with the beginning of the 1994-1995 school year and thereafter, no person shall go on public elementary or secondary school grounds or in any public elementary or secondary school building or other school facility as a visitor during school hours without authority of the appropriate school official as provided by rules adopted pursuant to this Section.

(2) Whoever violates the provisions of this Subsection shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

(3) For purposes of this Section, "visitor" shall mean any person except:

(a) An employee of the school or school system.

(b) A member of the school or school system's governing authority.

(c) A student enrolled in the school system.

(d) A parent, guardian, or other person authorized by a parent or guardian who is delivering the pupil to school at the beginning of the school day or is picking up the pupil from school at the end of the school day.

B. Every governing authority of a public elementary or secondary school in the state, by not later than thirty days prior to the beginning of the 1994-1995 school year, shall develop and adopt written rules, regulations, and procedures for granting authority to persons to go on public school grounds or in any public school building or other school facility as a visitor during school hours and for notifying visitors of such rules, regulations, and procedures.

C. Nothing in this Section shall be interpreted:

(1) To deny access onto public school grounds or into any public school building or other school facility to any organization or religious group otherwise permitted to use such grounds, buildings, or facilities.

(2) To affect in any way the power of a public elementary or secondary school governing authority to provide relative to access by representatives of school employee organizations to school employees on public school grounds or in any public school building or other school facility.

Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 91, §1, eff. July 7, 1994.