§29-12-5a. Liability insurance for county boards of education, their employees and members, the county superintendent of schools, and public charter schools electing to obtain coverage; written notice of coverage to insureds.
(a) In accordance with the provisions of this article, the State Board of Risk and Insurance Management shall provide appropriate professional or other liability insurance for all county boards of education, teachers, supervisory and administrative staff members, service personnel, county superintendents of schools, and school board members: Provided, That the Board of Risk and Insurance Management is not required to provide insurance for every property, activity, or responsibility of county boards of education, teachers, supervisory, and administrative staff members, service personnel, county superintendents of schools, and school board members.
(b) Insurance provided by the Board of Risk and Insurance Management pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall cover claims, demands, actions, suits, or judgments by reason of alleged negligence or other acts resulting in bodily injury or property damage to any person within or without any school building if, at the time of the alleged injury, the teacher, supervisor, administrator, service personnel employee, county superintendent, or school board member was acting in the discharge of his or her duties, within the scope of his or her office, position or employment, under the direction of the county board of education, or in an official capacity as a county superintendent or as a school board member.
(c) Insurance coverage provided by the Board of Risk and Insurance Management pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be in an amount to be determined by the State Board of Risk and Insurance Management, but in no event less than $1,250,000 for each occurrence. In addition, each county board of education shall purchase, through the Board of Risk and Insurance Management, excess coverage of at least $5 million for each occurrence. The cost of this excess coverage will be paid by the respective county boards of education. Any insurance purchased under this section shall be obtained from a company licensed to do business in this state.
(d) The insurance policy provided by the Board of Risk and Insurance Management pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall include comprehensive coverage, personal injury coverage, malpractice coverage, corporal punishment coverage, legal liability coverage, as well as a provision for the payment of the cost of attorney’s fees in connection with any claim, demand, action, suit, or judgment arising from such alleged negligence or other act resulting in bodily injury under the conditions specified in this section.
(e) The county superintendent and other school personnel shall be defended by the county board or an insurer in the case of suit, unless the act or omission shall not have been within the course or scope of employment or official responsibility or was motivated by malicious or criminal intent.
(f) At least annually, beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, county boards shall provide written notice of insurance coverage to each of its insureds, including teachers, supervisors, administrators, service personnel employees, county superintendent, and school board members. The notice shall identify the coverages, monetary limits of insurance, and duty to defend for each occurrence as provided to insureds by the Board of Risk and Insurance Management under this section. The written notice may be sent via email, or via first-class mail to the insured’s last mailing address known to the county board. The written notice shall also include contact information for the Board of Risk and Insurance Management.
(g) The provisions of this section apply to public charter schools that have been authorized pursuant to §18-5G-1 et seq. of this code and have included in their charter contract entered into pursuant to §18-5G-7 of this code a determination to obtain insurance coverage from the Board of Risk and Insurance Management pursuant to this section. If a public charter school elects to obtain coverage pursuant to this section:
(1) Any provision in this section applicable to a county board also applies to a charter school governing board;
(2) Any provision in this section applicable to a school board member also applies to a member of a charter school governing board; and
(3) Any provision of this section applicable to teachers, supervisory and administrative staff members, and service personnel employed by a county board also applies to teachers, supervisory or administrative staff members, and service personnel employed by a public charter school.
(h) The amendments to this section during the 2019 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature shall be effective for fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2019: Provided, That the amendment to subsection (c) of this section during the 2019 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature shall be effective for fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2020.
