State Sen. John Albers (R-Roswell) has proposed a Senate committee that would study ways to improve school safety and recommend legislation. A similar House study committee was proposed this week.
The resolution follows a Florida school shooting that has spurred a national conversation on school safety and gun control.
“Based on current events, we feel that [it is] necessary to place a focus on school safety,” Albers said in a press release.
The resolution, which is SR 935 and is awaiting a vote, would create an eight-member committee who would study the conditions, needs, issues and problems related to school safety, according to a press release.
After the 2018 legislative session ends, the committee will travel across the state meeting with teachers, students, parents, first responders, community leaders and experts to get input and learn how to best improve safety in different communities. The study committee will then make legislative recommendations to the Senate, the release said.
“Right now we have some specific policies in mind, but are going into the process of evaluating school safety with an open mind,” he said in an email.
He said “numerous” meetings will be held to get input from all parts of the state before any final policy decisions are made.
“Each area of our state is unique, and this will not be a ‘one size fits all’ solution. We have to do what is best for each community to ensure that students can learn and thrive in an environment where they not only feel protected but are truly safe,” said Albers, whose district includes the northern end of Sandy Springs, in the release.
A similar House resolution, HR 1414, was introduced March 5 by Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper) that would study problems and needs related to mental health concerns, infrastructure designs, equipment, personnel training and the availability of resources, according to the legislation.
The House committee would adopt a report recommending legislation by Dec. 1, the legislation says.