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Senate lawmaker says a "comprehensive" school-safety package will pair funding with measures on weapons and mental health
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Summary
A Senate lawmaker said Senate Democrats plan to offer a comprehensive school-safety package that combines funding for safety and mental-health services with measures addressing military-style weapons; leadership said the bill will be brought to the floor but could be removed if it lacks votes.
A Senate lawmaker told reporters the Senate intends to advance a comprehensive school-safety package that would pair funding for school security and mental-health support with measures aimed at curbing the use of military-style weapons in schools.
"A package that includes funding for school safety, for mental health care, and takes on the issue of weapons of war," the lawmaker said, describing the approach the Senate Democrats plan to offer on the floor.
The lawmaker said the package is meant to reflect lessons from families affected by recent violence and that Senator Mohammed has been a lead sponsor: "Senator Mohammed, has done exquisite work on this piece of legislation, and we will bring it to the floor for a vote." The lawmaker said they "don't want to leave this session without progress on this topic," but acknowledged that members could remove the bill if it does not have sufficient support.
Reporters noted separate bills and competing priorities in the House; one reporter also flagged that at least one senator (identified in the transcript as Judy Seaburger) has publicly said she does not support a ban on assault weapons, underscoring the political hurdles ahead.
Next steps: the lawmaker said the Senate plans to run a package through the finance process in the next week or two and then bring it to the floor for a vote, pending committee and caucus outcomes.
