A bill that would have forced school districts to let staff members carry concealed weapons died in committee Friday. Another measure expanding concealed carry rights awaits a Senate vote.
The Senate State Affairs Committee provided a rarity Friday: a committee vote that was in doubt until the end. Members rejected a bill that would have forced public K-12 schools to let employees with an enhanced concealed carry permit to carry a gun on campus.
Backers say the bill would help prevent school shootings.
But some Republican members on the fence seemed swayed by law enforcement officials who said a lack of required training in the bill made it dangerous.
Idaho Sheriff’s Association Executive Director Vaughn Killeen testified against the bill last week. He said the one-day class for enhanced concealed carry permits is insufficient to carry on school grounds.
“If you have an untrained teacher, sometimes that person can be just as dangerous as someone else in a setting like that,” he said.
The bill failed 5 to 4. All three Republican members who opposed the bill cited the training concern. Meanwhile, GOP committee members sent a bill to expand permitless concealed carry rights to out of staters to the Senate floor on a party-line vote.
Follow Heath Druzin on Twitter, @HDruzin
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