LEBANON, N.H. (WCAX) – A renewed effort to ban guns on school grounds in New Hampshire comes on the heels of a tense incident last week outside Lebanon High School.
The complex was locked down Friday afternoon after a man having a mental crisis was stopped in his truck outside the school. Police say he had four loaded guns in his vehicle. After a two-hour standoff, the situation ended peacefully.
A new bill would make it a misdemeanor for private citizens to carry firearms near New Hampshire schools. While it is against federal law to have a gun in a school zone, New Hampshire does not have a similar state law. Advocates say its about saving time to prevent a tragedy.
“Giving teachers and and administrators, giving the people in school who are responsible for our kids safety. It’s actually about giving them the ability to know that if they see a gun, that it is not supposed to be there and they can immediately go into lockdown protocol,” said Lebanon City Councilor Karen Liot Hill, who has a senior at Lebanon High School and who testified in support of the bill Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Critics of the measure say the bill simply disarms law-abiding citizens.