A Senate committee killed a bill today that would have allowed school security officers to have stun guns, batons or pepper spray.
HB 1309 (Cole) had been approved by subcommittee earlier this week. Advocates raised concerns that the approved weapons would be used against children and especially against children with disabilities. The patron stated, in subcommittee, that it was not his intent that these weapons be used against students, and that he had no opposition to including a requirement for training. When Delegate Cole presented the bill to full committee, he offered those items as amendments to the bill. Even with those amendments, the bill was defeated in the Senate Committee on Health and Education.
The session ends on February 28. Many committees are concluding their work this week. As the session draws to a close, we will monitor those issues that are being resolved by conference committee comprised of House and Senate members. Those conference committees, however, do not hold additional hearings.
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