Indiana panel could drop school staff guns mandate

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana legislative committee is expected to consider whether to drop a proposed requirement that all public and charter schools have a gun-carrying employee during school hours.

The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to vote Tuesday on changing the bill that also aims to start a state grant program to help school districts buy safety equipment and hire police officers.

Indiana would become the first state in the country to require armed school employees if the bill becomes law. Supporters of the requirement say it would lessen the vulnerability of schools to violent attacks such as the December elementary school shooting in Connecticut.

Republican Gov. Mike Pence and others have said they think any decisions on arming employees should be left to local schools officials.