Georgia House passes school safety bill after Apalachee High School shooting

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Georgia House passes school safety bill after Apalachee High School shooting

By JEFF AMY
Updated 7:05 PM EST, March 4, 2025

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia House members voted 159-13 on Tuesday for a school safety bill that supporters say is aimed at preventing a school shooting like the one in September that killed two teachers and two students at Apalachee High School.

But some lawmakers remain uneasy about its proposed creation of a statewide student database of disciplinary, mental health and law enforcement information to evaluate students who might commit violence. And although the House also passed a bill Tuesday to give a tax incentive to people who pay for gun storage devices or training, Democrats say the Republican-majority General Assembly isn’t doing enough to control guns.

Republican House Speaker Jon Burns of Newington gave House Bill 268 a strong push, making the unusual move of stepping down from the dais to give a speech supporting the measure.

“I believe this legislation will usher a new culture in our school systems, where we run towards our children facing struggles with mental health,” Burns said, saying the bill aims to reach troubled children before they turn to violence.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/georgia-apalachee-school-safety-shooting-house-aeeb49763dc1fb14d23d295f23e003e0

[BOSSHOG]

1. All the while

Ignoring the loaded assault weapon in the trunk.