Kentucky moves to allow teachers and staff to carry guns after a deadly school shooting occurred in rural Benton just weeks ago. The shooting left two dead and eighteen wounded.
In response to recent school shootings the Kentucky governor and legislature said they will not be considering any new gun control measures, instead, the state will seek to arm teachers and other school staff to protect students.
Republican state Sen. Steve West stated recently that his bill will not stop all mass school shootings but he hopes it will help save lives.
“It increases that kid’s chances of surviving. And if there is someone there with a weapon, they will be able to take down the assailant, or at least calm the situation,” West said.
The Bill, SB 103, is designed to literally arm staff and aid them in responding to school shootings with appropriate action;
AN ACT relating to school safety.
Amend KRS 520.070 to include school marshals as persons exempt from the prohibition against possession of a firearm on school property if authorized by a local school board or governing body of a private or parochial school; create a new section of KRS Chapter 527 to allow for the appointment of a school marshal by a local school board or governing body of a private or parochial school; specify that a person authorized and appointed under this section is designated as a school marshal and enumerate restrictions on school marshal’s powers; provide that persons certified to act as peace officers under KRS 15.380 are exempt from restrictions; establish requirements of eligibility for a school marshal’s appointment; enumerate board’s or governing bodies’ responsibilities; require that schools designated as school marshal sites collaborate with the Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement on safety procedures prior to appointment of a school marshal; provide limits on liability for school boards or governing bodies that appoint school marshals; establish limits on the possession, transport, deposit, or carrying of firearms by a school marshal while on school property; limit liability for school marshals for acts or omissions undertaken pursuant to this section; provide that the school marshal is responsible for expenditures related to the purchase of a firearm, ammunition, or any other associated costs; allow that a local school board or governing body may pay compensation for expenses incurred undertaking school marshal’s duties or appointment requirements; specify that otherwise lawful possession of a firearm as provided under KRS 527.070 or any other state or federal law is not restricted; exclude postsecondary or higher education institutions from coverage; require that any board of a local public school district or governing body of a private or parochial school that appoints a school marshal adopt guidelines to carry out school marshal’s requirements.
In the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting many different bills have been drafted to aid in the protection of students from mass casualty events, however, arming teachers and school staff seems to be the most prominent answer from lawmakers.