Gun control is all we hear about this days. A lot of lip service being paid at the national level, meanwhile at the state level some legislatures are acting. Case in point, North Carolina’s General Assembly has two bills in motion aimed at protecting NC schools and children from possible attacks like the one witnessed in Connecticut.

Senate Bill 59 – Armed Security Guards in K-12 (Bill Text)

This bill proposes with the coordination of the appropriate Sheriff’s offices to enact training for local law enforcement and/or approved security guards for deployment into schools. It also seeks to removed the restrictions on concealed carry in schools for said guards.

Senate Bill 27 – Public School Protection/ Firearms Amendment (Bill Text)

This bill builds on the first one with a move to allow concealed carry on school campuses by persons approved by the Training Standards Commission and NC Criminal Justice Education. It applies to state-run schools as well as Charter schools. It also re-affirms the establishment of a ‘school crisis and emergency management program’, which is also mention in SB 59.

Both Bills were sponsored by Republicans with Clark Jenkins being the lone Democrat in sponsorship of Bill 27. Both bills have been referred to committee.

As a parent with school aged children in NC, I am glad to see them moving swiftly on this. Especially given the county school board we live in can’t find their rears with both hands lately.