Rep. Mark McCullough: He hopes his proposal to arm school personnel will pass as an amendment to another bill
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Thursday decided to go double or nothing with the Senate over guns in schools.
The House agreed to jeopardize a routine law enforcement bill by amending it to let local school districts arm employees - language Senate leadership killed in committee earlier this session.
Senate Bill 408, by Sen. Susan Paddack, D-Ada, originally dealt only with refresher training for inactive law officers returning to duty. Thursday morning, though, the House accepted an amendment from Rep. Mark McCullough, R-Sapulpa, to attach what amounted to his dormant House Bill 1062.
The move irritated and in some cases angered opponents - mostly Democrats - who thought the issue was put to rest with the passage of four school safety measures and the disappearance of McCullough's bill on the Senate side of the Capitol rotunda.
But McCullough said he "wanted to give this another try" because "I got so much feedback (from people) wanting to have this option."
The amendment was adopted 47-24 on a non-recorded vote, with 30 members not voting. The amended bill itself passed 69-25 with 21 Democrats and four Republicans voting no and 62 Republicans and seven Democrats voting yes.
McCullough didn't seem to have any guarantee or even much encouragement his efforts will be any better received by Senate leadership. Paddack, as Senate author, can reject House amendments and send the bill to conference committee, where it is likely to die.
"I was surprised today to see that my bill ... was amended to include language which would allow school personnel to carry guns in our schools," Paddack said.
"At this point, I do not think that this language will be successful on the Senate side when it comes back over and we are given the opportunity to review and vote on it."
House Minority Leader Scott Inman, D-Del City, described the amendment as "a waste of time," and Rep. Ben Sherrer, D-Chouteau, said it was an insult to Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, who headed the task force that produced the school safety measures.
But McCullough said, "Our schools are not protected from violent threats. This does create pressure. I think that's why some are so adamant against this. It challenges the orthodoxy."
The two most adamant opponents were Rep. Mike Shelton, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Jerry McPeak, R-Warner.
"I have a gun," said Shelton. "I have 18 guns. ... But I don't want this Legislature to tell me my kids have to sit in a classroom with a teacher with a gun on her hip."
McPeak grimly observed that putting guns in the hands of teachers might at least reduce classroom sizes after "the flesh is torn from (students') bodies" because of some mishap.
An outbreak of spring fever afflicted the House following the noon recess and probably contributed to the defeat of at least one bill.
SB 955, by Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, fell two votes short of the 51 needed for passage, with 27 members absent. The bill was significant in that it would change the way Oklahoma Lottery proceeds are distributed to public schools and, in the process, raise the base funding for all districts.
Also failing was SB 804, which would have provided $13 million in tax credits over two years for low-income and senior housing, mostly in rural areas. Only 79 of 101 members voted on SB 804, but it fell 12 votes short of passage and would have had difficulty in any event.
World Capitol Bureau reporter Barbara Hoberock contributed to this story.
Randy Krehbiel 918-581-8365
randy.krehbiel@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: School gun bill brought back to life by House
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