Florida House Panel Advances Bill Permitting Officials with Guns in Schools

A House committee has approved a bill that would allow trained officials to carry firearms in schools as a way to improve safety.

The bill (HB 753) approved Wednesday is sponsored by Greg Steube, a Republican from Sarasota. It gives schools the option to appoint former or current law enforcement officers and former or current military officers with state legislated training to carry firearms on campus.

They would be required to go through 40 hours of school-safety training and eight hours of active-shooter training each year. They also would need four hours of firearm qualification annually.

They’d be required to have a carry-and-conceal permit.

Local school boards or principals would make the appointments.

Representatives for the Florida School Board Association and Parent Teacher Association opposed the bill.