MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on a special Wisconsin legislative session on school safety(all times local):
4:45 p.m.
Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he would welcome a special legislative session to address school safety.
Gov. Scott Walker is working with Republican lawmakers on a package of bills to address school safety. The state Assembly ended its regular two-year session last month. The state Senate is expected to convene once more, on March 20.
Walker has come out against arming teachers but hasn’t said what he’s specifically preparing. His spokeswoman Amy Hasenberg said the governor plans to release the bills before then.
Vos issued a news release Tuesday saying he would welcome Walker calling the Assembly back in a special session to address school safety. He said he wants to every Wisconsin parent to feel confident that their child is safe at school.
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2:35 p.m.
Wisconsin Democrats have introduced new legislation to improve school safety.
Democrats released the package Tuesday, a day before a national student walkout to honor victims of last month’s Florida school shooting and demand tighter gun restrictions.
The bills would increase aid for school mental health programs and provide funding for the Wisconsin Safe and Healthy Schools Training and Technical Assistance Center to address school violence.
The bills also would create $24 million in grants to help school districts develop programs to prevent violence, allow school boards to discuss safety in closed session and exempt safety plans from the open records law.
None of the bills address guns.
Republican Gov. Scott Walker is working on his own school safety bills. He plans to release the proposals by March 20.
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