Concealed handguns for school employees proposed

Teachers would be permitted to carry concealed weapons in schools under a bill heard by the Judiciary Committee Feb. 28.

LB879, introduced by Imperial Sen. Mark Christensen, would create a new concealed handgun permit to carry concealed handguns in schools. The bill would give school administrations the option to authorize school employees to obtain the new Level II permit to carry concealed handguns in designated schools.

In addition to the handgun training and safety course required by the Concealed Handgun Permit Act, an applicant for the Level II permit would be required to complete 24 additional hours of training, to include best practice responses and actions during an active-shooter incident, along with a demonstration of competency during a simulated active-shooter scenario. LB879 would require the Nebraska State Patrol to develop minimum standards for the new training courses and instructors.

Christensen said schools in rural areas are more at risk than urban schools because it would take law enforcement longer to respond to an armed intruder situation. The bill would allow each school administration to decide how to secure its students, he said.

“I do not want to force guns into schools where folks do not want them,” Christensen said. “I brought the bill as an alternative for schools that don’t feel like they can afford to hire police enforcement.”

Rodney Moeller of the Nebraska Firearms Owners Association testified in support of the bill. Recent school shootings have shown that guns are the best way to stop armed intruders, he said.

“The sooner we have well-trained good guys with guns respond to stop armed bad guys, the more children we will save,” Moeller said.

Jay Sears of the Nebraska State Education Association testified in opposition to the bill, saying better building security and on-site law enforcement is the best solution for school safety.

“We should leave carrying of deadly weapons and tools to trained law enforcement professionals,” he said. “Teachers are trained to teach—that’s what they’re supposed to do—and nothing else.”

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.