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In 24 hours or less, lawmakers will vote on whether to adopt the conference committee report for House Bill 3, the priority school safety bill. While in conference committee the bill drastically changed and includes harmful provisions that will do little to protect students from school-based violence. This is the last stage before the bill heads to the Governor's desk to be signed into law.
○ HB 3 requires more guns on school campuses, with no increase to school-based mental or behavioral health resources. Requiring more police on campus is unnecessary and will make schools less safe – particularly for students of color and students with disabilities.
○ Research has shown no association between having an armed officer and the deterrence of violence in school shooting cases. In most cases of targeted school violence, an armed officer on the scene was the number one factor associated with increased casualties after a perpetrator's use of a high-capacity gun.
○ HB 3 is expensive. The bill does not increase the school safety allotment. And rather than allocating surplus funds to teacher pay raises, mental and behavioral support staff, and other evidence-based practices, HB 3 authorizes new school hardening mandates.
Building trusting relationships and supportive communities is the proactive way to support the mental, emotional and physical safety of students and adults in schools.
We urge you to call your House representative today and tell them to vote no on House Bill 3!
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