Guns in schools bill passes House

[lostinblue 1,989]

Guns in schools bill passes House

For the second consecutive session, a bill that would allow school staff to carry concealed weapons in schools passed by a comfortable margin following floor debate.

The North Dakota House passed House Bill 1195 by a 53-38 vote Tuesday.

HB1195 would allow individuals with a Class 1 concealed carry permit to carry in school, if approved by the school board. HB1195 would also require working with local law enforcement for training purposes.

A similar bill passed the House in 2013 but failed in the Senate.

Prime HB1195 sponsor Rep. Dwight Kiefert, R-Valley City, gave an impassioned floor speech outlining the need for the bill.

Kiefert said HB1195 gives schools the option of providing protection since armed school resource officers are an expensive option for most rural districts. Some may not be able to have law enforcement arrive in response to an incident for as long as 30 minutes.

“Most school shootings are over in five minutes. If you don’t have someone at the school, law enforcement’s role will only be an investigation,” Kiefert said.

Education officials unsuccessfully made a case to the House Education Committee that school staff don’t wish to be both educators and armed law enforcement. HB1195 received a do-pass recommendation by a 7-6 vote.

Kiefert said he believed education officials seem to prefer laying the blame on lawmakers regardless of their decision to arm staff or not.

A class of schoolchildren were on hand, some of whom were taking in Tuesday’s debate alongside lawmakers on the House floor. Kiefert asked how one would explain not having someone at their school to protect them in the event of a violent school attack.

“Can we look at them and say that, if their school doesn’t have enough money they’re not allowed to provide protection and, if their school hasn’t got enough money and a bad man shows up, all they can do is run and hide?” Kiefert said.

Kiefert minced no words with a potential alternative for those considering voting against HB1195.

“Before you vote no, I’d ask you to maybe take one of these kids aside and explain to them the zig-zag pattern to run to help increase their chance of survival,” Kiefert said.

Rep. Bill Amerman, D-Forman, expressed concern with HB1195. He said he’d spoken at length against a similar bill in 2013 but wouldn’t repeat his testimony from that time.

Amerman said his primary concern was language granting immunity for school districts in the event of an incident.

“I’m not comfortable granting immunity. I’m not sure that I’m qualified to grant immunity,” Amerman said.

Rep. Kim Koppelman, R-West Fargo, said the 2013 bill hadn’t contained such a provision.

“The purpose of the immunity provision in this bill is simply to hold the school harmless. I think that’s a good safeguard,” Koppelman said.

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/guns-in-schools-bill-passes-house/article_fd97e553-ebc3-536e-b331-0bbcab9d45d9.html

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

good

[decocker 7,198]

Amerman said his primary concern was language granting immunity for school districts in the event of an incident.

look, someone has a brain!

[LibCampFireClub 635]

Good news! A glock is more effective than threatening a timeout to a killer.

Edited February 7, 2015 by ExExpat

[Darnell 8,479]

well, i hope the Senate passes it this time. Yay North Dakota !