House panel rejects school employee gun bill

LITTLE ROCK — An Arkansas House panel has rejected a proposal to allow some school employees who have completed active shooter training to carry guns in schools.

The House Education Committee on Thursday voted down the measure that would have allowed a school district to pay existing employees extra money to provide security services in addition to their regular job duties. In order to carry a gun on school grounds, those employees would have been required to have a concealed carry license and complete a 40-hour course at a law enforcement training academy.

Democratic Rep. Homer Lenderman, the bill's sponsor, says it's needed to protect schools from mass shootings.

Opponents said they would prefer to hire more highly trained resource officers and that putting more guns in schools would be dangerous.

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