A bill being considered in the Minnesota House would allow schools to use existing maintenance revenue funds to upgrade their security, in response to recent shootings in Florida and elsewhere. Sponsor, Eden Prairie Republican Jenifer Loon, indicates state bonding money or an appropriation from the budget are also options. Loon says, “My number one goal is making sure that schools have what they need to do the best they can to, again, make sure that our schools are safe.”
House Democratic Leader Melissa Hortman says the bill does nothing to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, and fortifying Minnesota schools won’t prevent the next shooting. Hortman adds Republicans are blocking common-sense gun safety measures.