Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville, dropped House Bill 153 - which would prohibit school districts from hiring their own police officers - this week when his motives were questioned.

"I'm trying to move away from it," Holdaway said. "I just don't want the debate to be clouded by questions of my motivations."

Bountiful Republican Rep. Sheryl Allen picked up the bill Thursday.

Holdaway started working on the bill after Granite Lt. Todd Rasmussen was charged with armed assault for shooting an unarmed burglary suspect after a high-speed chase in Salt Lake City in October. The lawmaker, who is a Taylorsville High School teacher, said he was concerned about the school district's vulnerability to lawsuits if its officers make mistakes.

"There are some real liability issues," Holdaway said.

But when the Deseret Morning News reported the wife of a Granite police officer disclosed that Holdaway's son was arrested after a fight and questioned the lawmaker's motives, the Taylorsville Republican said he would no longer sponsor the legislation.

House Bill 153 would allow school districts to contract with local law enforcement agencies, but prohibit district officials from employing their own peace officers.

Granite School District is the only district with its own police force.

The district pays $1.4 million a year for 16 officers to patrol and maintain security equipment at 81 elementary and junior high schools. District officials contract with surrounding cities and Salt Lake County for police service at nine high schools.

Assistant Superintendent Martin Bates says Holdaway's concerns about the district's liability are unfounded. The shooting last fall was the first in 34 years; he called it "an aberration." Unlike sheriff's deputies and city officers, Granite's police specifically are trained to deal with children.

Besides effectively eliminating the Granite School District Police, Allen's bill might block school districts from hiring off-duty officers to police school dances and the last days of school, Bates said.

"I would prefer not to be in the law enforcement business," he said. "But the fact of the matter is, we have felt we have needed to be."

Meantime, Holdaway has requested a meeting with the Granite Police chief. And Bates is looking into the report that information about Holdaway's son's juvenile record was released to a newspaper. "If we find that district policies have been violated, we will take action," he said.