PHOENIX (AP) - The Latest on school safety legislation pushed by Gov. Doug Ducey (all times local):
2:45 p.m.
A split Arizona Senate panel has voted to advance Gov. Doug Ducey’s wide-ranging school safety proposal after it was watered-down to address concerns from gun-rights organizations.
Thursday’s party-line 4-3 vote advanced the measure over the opposition of Democrats. They said it lacked the universal gun purchase background checks they wanted and more money for school counselors.
Republican Sen. Steve Smith chaired the committee and said the proposal he helped craft protects 2nd Amendment rights to bear arms while putting in place a new way to remove guns from people deemed an imminent threat. The proposal also includes more school police officers and school mental health spending.
Smith touted the backing of the National Rifle Association for the proposal, drawing the ire of Democrats.
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12:01 a.m.
An Arizona Senate committee is set to hold the long-delayed first hearing on Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s wide-ranging school safety proposal.
The legislation introduced by Republican Sen. Steve Smith was set for a Monday Commerce and Public Safety Committee hearing but was delayed until Thursday for changes.The proposal Ducey rolled out in mid-March had major opposition from some majority Republicans because it allows guns to be removed from people considered dangerous. More changes are likely to address that issue.Ducey’s plan also includes more school resource officers and school mental health spending.Democrats want universal background checks on gun purchases and aren’t backing the plan. That leaves the governor seeking support from Republican guns-rights backers and the proposal has been substantially watered-down.- The legislation is Senate Bill 1519Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC.
