A bill that would permit Idaho school employees and volunteers to carry guns on school property passed in the Idaho House of Representatives.
House Bill 415, by Rep. Ted Hill, R-Eagle, also known as Fire Arms on School Property, passed in the House Jan. 31. The bill passed with 53 votes in favor and 16 against. The bill will now go to the Senate state affairs committee to be reviewed. If approved, the bill will then be sent to Idaho’s Senate to be voted.
The bill would amend existing law to allow school employees who have obtained an enhanced concealed carry license to carry firearms on school property. There would be no option to deny the employee, volunteer, or contracted employee permission to carry a firearm. However, they would be required to notify the school administration.
HB 415 also releases employees from liability to engage in the event of a shooting. The Idaho State Rifle and Pistol Association supports the bill.
“We, like everyone else, are worried about crime in schools, specifically the mass shootings that are taking place,” said Dave Taylor, President of The Idaho State Rifle and Pistol Association. “The idea is that the criminal will now think twice before going into an Idaho school if there is a risk they can get shot before they can accomplish their goal”
The bill would also implement fines for schools that keep up any “Gun Free Zone” signs, Taylor said. These signs do not stop criminals, while the bill may deter criminals if as a result of the bill passing, criminals may believe someone with a gun is inside.
Taylor said passing this bill will help provide protection before the police arrive. As an example, during the 2022 Uvalde shooting, it took over an hour for the police to confront the shooter.
There is a significant amount of protest against the bill. 100 people came to testify against the bill before it was voted on in the house, according to the Moscow Pullman Daily News.
Rep. Marco Adam Erickson, R-Idaho Falls said he would rather put energy into stopping shootings before they happen.
“I want to put a primary emphasis on prevention through funding mental health so that there is a healthy school environment between class peers and students are trained to report suspicious behavior,” Erickson said. “This way the administration can notify the family before a school shooter gets a gun … I’m not saying to suppress any gun rights, but we’ve underfunded mental health. If you fund early, it saves you later.”
