Ky. gov. signs bill requiring schools to have at least one armed officer on campus
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announces he signed a school safety measure on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020 in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner)
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UPDATED 7:05 PM PT — Saturday, February 22, 2020
Kentucky’s governor has signed a bill that will allow school resource officers to carry guns on school grounds. Governor Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 8 on Friday, in hopes of giving schools the resources they need to curb shootings.
The bill will require local schools to have at least one armed police officer on campus.
“I am taking the steps to protect our children in schools, to ensure that next time an armed individual enters a Kentucky school, there is a sworn law enforcement officer there, armed and well-trained,” stated Beshear.
The governor also emphasized he couldn’t let officers handle shooting situations unarmed.
“I simply cannot ask a school resource officer to stop an armed gunman entering a school without them having the ability to not only achieve this mission, but also to protect themselves,” he said. “We must be able to stop the worst of the worst.”
The measure, which passed both the House and Senate earlier this month, has received bipartisan support across the state. Although there has been some opposition from various school districts, Beshear has said he hopes the presence of law enforcement will make students feel safer. The law will go into effect immediately.