By Bob Christie
and Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
PHOENIX -- Arizona Republican lawmakers sent two measures dealing with guns and students to Gov. Katie Hobbs on Tuesday, likely courting one veto, if not two.
The House voted along party lines to allow a parent who has a state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon to bring it on to a school campus where he or she has children enrolled. SB 1331 already had been approved by the Senate.
Separately, the Senate approved HB 2332 which would require public and charter schools to provide students in grades 6 through 12 with "age appropriate'' training in firearms safety.
That legislation, however, does not involve any actual instruction on how to operate weapons or hunting education.
Instead, it is being promoted at teaching "simple, easy-to-remember steps so individuals who receive the training know what to do if they ever come across a firearm.''
It already has been approved by the House.
Senate supporters of the measure, sponsored by Rep. Selina Bliss, R-Prescott, argued that education the best way to cut down accidental shootings by children who stumble across a firearms.
"When we're talking about gun safety the best way to maintain a safe environment with a firearm is for education to be provided,'' said Sen. Janae Shamp, R-Surprise. "There are no stories of guns going off by themselves. They go off because they have been touched by a human hand.''
Republican Sen. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills criticized those who opposed the measure by implying it involved hand-on training with guns, which it does not.
"It's safety training. It's a prevention program,'' Kavanagh said. "This is about training kids what to do when they stumble upon a firearm which may be loaded, so they don't pick it up so they don't discharge it accidentally.''
Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, called the legislation "yet another unfunded mandate that takes time that could be invested in academics.''
And Sen. Anna Hernandez, D-Phoenix, said lawmakers would be better focused on preventing gun violence in the first place rather than "culture wars'' issues.
"Every week we see a new shooting either in a school or in a public place,'' she said.
"And yet time after time, we have the opportunity to introduce legislation that will actually keep our children safe, like red flag laws or safe storage laws or universal background checks,'' Hernandez said. "I feel that if we're serious about keeping our kids safe in schools, we should be looking at those measures of legislation and not worry about what books are going to be banned in schools or drag story hour.''
It is the proposal to allow guns onto school campuses -- something now prohibited under state law -- that has proven more controversial. And, given the record of the governor who already has racked up 43 vetoes this session, it could meet the same fate.
Current law requires anyone coming onto a campus, even into a parking lot, to first unload any weapons.
Shamp, the sponsor of that legislation, said that makes felons of parents who forget they had a weapon on them. And she argued that having to unload and reload a gun actually is more dangerous, as that is when accidents occur.
But Rep. Keith Seaman, R-Casa Grande, said all his experience as an educator convinces him the legislation is a bad idea.
"I find this bill totally unacceptable and dangerous,'' he told colleagues.
Seaman said his job was to keep everyone on campus safe.
"In today's educational atmosphere, with accusations of fake 'woke' items being taught -- which is not being done by the way -- I could not be certain that some parent would brandish that weapon and threaten a teacher,'' he said.
"As a principal, I need to know who is carrying a weapon,'' Seaman said. "As an educator, I know that guns do not belong in school under any circumstances. There are too many chances for misfirings or angry shots.''
But Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, said his vote in support of the measure came down to a simple four words: shall not be infringed, quoting from the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
There is a federal law which requires school campuses to be gun-free zones.
But that law has a number of exceptions, including for people licensed by the state. And supporters say that the CCW permit fits that definition.
Hobbs already has vetoed several gun-related measures, including one which would have stripped the ability of communities to regulate gun shows and another which would have denied public contracts to banks that refuse to do business with gun dealers and manufacturers.
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On Twitter: @AzChristieNews