South Dakota's Senators passed a bill allowing school districts and the law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction over a district to arm faculty on school grounds.
The so-called School Sentinel Bill gives school districts the option of allowing certain teachers and staff to be armed within a school. It also allows those districts to hire an armed guard to be placed in their school. The final decision on who would be allowed to possess a weapon in the classroom relies on the sheriff or police chief who has jurisdiction over that school district.
Through the measure, those faculty and staff deemed as a sentinel would also have to undergo police training to carry the weapon on school grounds.
Proponents of the bill say it is a deterrent because would-be attackers would not know if a school is protected.
Opponents say adding more guns in schools increases the risk of more violence.
The measure is sent back to the House to approve amendments. The original bill called for a district's school sentinel policy to be kept secret. The Senate State Affairs Committee repealed that portion last week.
The bill was also amended on the House floor; that amendment gave the final sentinel decision to the law enforcement that has jurisdiction over the school district.
The bill passed the Senate 21-14.
