Committee advances bill to let postsecondary institutions opt into Guardian program despite student opposition
CS/PCS for HB757 would allow state colleges and universities to opt into an expanded Guardian program (trained faculty/staff as guardians), require threat‑assessment teams, campus alerting and reimbursements for training; the committee adopted clarifying amendments and reported the bill favorably amid strong student and public opposition.
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Representative Salzman, sponsor of PCS for CSHB 757, opened by recounting last April’s active‑shooter response at Florida State University and described the bill as an attempt to translate successful K‑12 safety measures to higher education. Salzman said the measure increases the presence of trained responders, requires threat assessment teams, mandates campus‑wide alert systems and reunification plans, provides grant funding for hardening and training (with institutional caps), and creates a 1,000‑foot buffer for firearms‑related penalties near campus boundaries.
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