School districts could set their own training requirements for employees they choose to arm under legislation set for a vote in the Republican-controlled Ohio House Wednesday.
The measure aims to undo the effect of an Ohio Supreme Court ruling earlier this year, which held that under current law armed school workers would need hundreds of hours of training.
Under the bill, armed school employees would need to take the eight hours of training required for a concealed weapons permit under Ohio law, then take 18 additional “general” hours of training and two hours of handgun training. Employees would also have to complete two additional hours of general training and two hours of handgun training each year.
The bill is opposed by major law enforcement groups and gun control advocates, and supported by a handful of police departments and school districts.
Also Wednesday, the House scheduled a vote on a bill that would make a concealed weapons permit optional in Ohio and eliminate the requirement that individuals “promptly” notify police officers they are carrying a concealed weapon.