Assembly Bill 424 Would Close a Dangerous Loophole That Allows School Districts to Authorize People to Bring Guns into California’s K-12 Schools
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded the Senate for passing Assembly Bill 424, legislation aimed at protecting California’s K-12 students by keeping guns out of schools. The bill requires final passage in the Assembly before it is sent to Governor Jerry Brown for consideration.
In 2015, California recognized that civilians should not bring guns into primary and secondary schools by enacting Senate Bill 707, which prohibits a person with a concealed carry permit from carrying a firearm into a public or private K-12 school. But, there is still a loophole in the law that allows school districts to authorize certain people to bring a gun into a school. AB 424 would close this loophole.
STATEMENT FROM CAITLIN KING, VOLUNTEER WITH THE CALIFORNIA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“I became a high school teacher to help prepare teenagers for their future – not to teach them how to duck and cover. I applaud the Senate for voting today to pass Assembly Bill 424, legislation that would close the loophole that currently allows for guns in our children’s classrooms. Allowing more guns in schools increases the risk of unintentional shootings and escalates everyday conflicts into deadly ones, without making schools any safer from gun violence. That’s why AB 424 is so important. It is a proactive step to put the safety of California children first, giving them the opportunity to learn and grow in our school system. I urge our elected officials to give final passage to AB 424 and send it to Governor Brown’s desk to sign into law.”