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Georgia Senate gives final OK to gov.'s school safety bill

Nikki Merritt
Arvin Temkar/AP
/
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia State Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-Grayson, speaks about House Bill 147, a school safety bill, at the Senate in Atlanta, on Monday, March 13, 2023. The Georgia Senate gave final approval Monday to the school safety bill pushed by Gov. Brian Kemp that includes annual active shooter drills, sending it to the Republican governor's desk for his signature. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

A school safety bill pushed by Gov. Brian Kemp is on its way to receive his signature after the Senate voted 52-3 to pass it. The Georgia Senate gave final approval Monday to the measure, which would have every public school complete an active shooter drill by Oct. 1 of each year. Student participation would be required unless school districts decide to allow parents to exclude their children. A number of Democrats opposed part of the bill that would create a program for teachers to identify gang members. They said that could lead to students being unfairly singled out because of their race. Democrat-proposed amendments to the bill failed.