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Heated testimony as committee weighs off‑duty firearms (HB5451) and school security hires (SB402)
Summary
Representative Steve Wear urged passage of HB5451 to allow licensed officers to carry on school grounds while off duty; advocates and educators warned the bill and related SB402 (armed school security officers) risk harming students, especially those with disabilities and in immigrant communities, and urged stricter training and oversight.
Representative Steve Wear presented HB5451, saying current law can criminalize an off‑duty peace officer who lawfully carries a firearm while dropping children at school. "Good bill ought to pass," he told the committee, and asked the panel to remove language that would turn otherwise law‑abiding officers into criminals for carrying on school grounds when off duty.
Several members and witnesses pressed how the bill would be implemented and who would be covered. Representative Greg Howard and others disputed whether off‑duty officers would reliably retain tactical and de‑escalation skills when not working, and questioned…
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