OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Washington lawmakers showcased a package of school safety bills Tuesday amid a broader debate over how to improve school safety and prevent mass shootings.
At the center of Democratic proposals was a pair of bills that would create safety centers dedicated to offering schools training and real-time support for struggling students, along with expanding extreme risk orders to include youth, and add mental health professionals in schools.
Some Republicans favor measures that focus on increasing police presence in schools and arming staff, including teachers. But Democrats, who hold the majority in both the House and Senate, rejected the idea.
“We believe that guns do not belong in schools,” said Rep. Laurie Dolan, D-Olympia.
Dolan is the sponsor of one of the pair of bills proposing the safety centers, including regional centers located in each of the state’s nine Educational Service Districts. They would be able to both help schools with ongoing needs like training, and respond in real time to help with threat assessments and responding to emergencies.