Concealed guns in Idaho classes? School employees soon may be allowed to carry
A bill that would allow Idaho school staffers to carry a concealed weapon is one step closer to becoming law.
House members on Thursday voted 52-18 to approve House Bill 122, which would permit school employees with an enhanced concealed weapons license to carry a firearm on school grounds, without permission from district trustees.
The new law would require that the firearm be kept in someone’s “immediate control,” which is defined as being on someone’s body or within the carrier’s clothing. But the carriers would not have a duty to perform — in other words, they would not be required to use the firearms under threat of violence.
Rep. Chad Christensen, R-Iona, who sponsored the bill, said limitations on the ability to carry a concealed weapon infringe on constitutional rights. He said guns at schools would also stop the threat of a school shooting.
“This is a Second Amendment issue, and for me, the Second Amendment right doesn’t stop at the door of a school,” Christensen said on the House floor Thursday. “I trust Idahoans to be responsible.”
How the bill works
The carrier would be required to inform the school’s principal and the district superintendent. Those school officials may share the information with the school board, but the identities of the employees carrying weapons would remain confidential.
The bill states that no school employee can be compelled to tell anyone else about the concealed firearm. Staffers also can’t be subject to retaliation or disciplinary action for carrying a firearm.
Schools also would not be allowed to include signs that say they’re a “gun-free zone.” The law would apply to both public and private schools, but private property owners — including owners of private school buildings — can still ban weapons on their property.
School boards oppose the bill, saying the decisions should be made at the local level.
Supporters of the bill have argued that officers in rural areas may not be able to respond in time if there were a school shooting in Idaho.
The effects of concealed-carry laws on violent crime remain unclear, according to the RAND Corporation, a California-based think tank that conducts research on gun policies. According to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, 40 states and Washington, D.C., prohibit carrying a concealed firearm in K-12 schools.
Opponents say guns-in-schools bill has flaws
Rep. Karey Hanks, R-St. Anthony, who works in a school district, said she wants to be able to legally carry her firearm.
“I want to be able to protect those students,” Hanks said.
Rep. Marc Gibbs, R-Grace, said he owns “several guns, more than my wife would like,” and is a supporter of the National Rifle Association. But he said he opposed the bill because it requires only that the carrier knows how to load and shoot the weapon. He said more qualifications should be included for those who plan to have a gun in schools.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, gun violence prevention advocacy groups said firearms at schools pose a serious risk to public safety and self-harm. Idaho has the fourth-highest rate of gun suicide deaths in the U.S., according to Everytown for Gun Safety.
Dianna Davis, a volunteer with Idaho’s Moms Demand Action, said she knows what it’s like to have a loved one taken by gun violence.
“For the past two years, Idaho residents have been crystal clear — we don’t want guns in our schools,” David said. “We need common-sense gun safety laws like an extreme risk law and secure storage measures to fight this public health crisis that already takes over 260 lives every year in our state.”
Rep. Chris Mathias, D-Boise, said that constitutional rights aren’t absolute and that the bill introduces risk in schools. He also criticized legislators for selling the bill as a way to protect children when firearm carriers would not be required to use them in the case of a shooting or threat. He said that “almost undermines the entire premise of the bill.”
“If weapon holders don’t have a duty to perform like our law enforcement officers do, what’s the point of exposing our children to all the risk?” Mathias asked.
Updated 4 p.m. on March 11, 2021, to include a statement from Everytown for Gun Safety. Updated 5:10 p.m. on July 1, 2022, to clarify state law on concealed carry in schools.
This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 1:01 PM.
