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House Democrats offer school safety solutions

RICHMOND — Democrats in the House of Delegates on Thursday released their own report offering solutions to make Virginia schools safer.

Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, convened a group of legislators — the majority of whom were Republicans — after the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14. The House Select Committee on School Safety was the first select committee in more than 150 years. The committee did not focus on gun control, a controversial topic that Cox said would hinder the committee’s ability to actually get legislation passed.

The committee signed off on 24 recommendations, including more school resource officers and mental health resources, during its final meeting in mid-November and a 709-page report was issued Dec. 14. The recommendations are now being introduced as legislation for the upcoming General Assembly session.

In response to the committee’s final report, Democrats criticized the lack of consideration given to gun control in the committee’s work.

“We cannot ignore the role of firearms in mass school shootings, nor should we avoid our responsibility as legislators to act,” the Democrats’ report said.