AS AMENDED BY COMMITTEE:

            This bill would amend Part 3 of Article 4 of Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the O.C.G.A. to allow LBOE’s to designate one or more administrators in each school to possess and carry firearms (might be concealed) at school, at school functions, or on school property or bus furnished by the school. Before a LBOE could approve anyone to carry a weapon, a policy would have to be adopted and implemented that calls for:

1.      Training would be required that at a minimum would include:

a.       Judgment pistol shooting

b.      Marksmanship;

c.       Review of current laws relating to the use of force for the defense of self and others;

2.      Training requirements could be met if approved personnel had prior military or law enforcement service that required such training

3.      An approved list of types and number of firearms and types and amount of ammunition to be possessed or carried;

4.      Exclusion of any personnel with a history of any type of mental or emotional instability as determined by the LBOE;

5.      A mandatory method of securing the firearms to include carrying in a holster, but not in a purse, briefcase, bag or similar accessory; or in a lock safe or similar lock box not easily accessed by students;

6.      No employee could be required to carry a weapon or could be terminated as a result of refusal to carry;

7.      for the administrators, as well as appropriate licenses, renewed annually. The LBOE would pay for the costs of all training unless the approved person chose to pay part of all costs, or donations or grants from private persons or entities covered the cost.

Documents and meetings pertaining to personnel approved to carry firearms would be considered employment and public safety records and would not be subject to public inspection or copying. LBOE’s are not mandated to adopt or implement such a program and would not be liable for choosing to adopt or not to adopt.