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Calif. Bills Intended To Strengthen School Safety

SACRAMENTO (AP) — The state Senate has unanimously passed two bills designed to better safeguard teachers and students from attacks.

SB49 would require that schools develop safety plans that include procedures to respond to someone carrying a gun on campus. Many schools already have such plans, but Democratic Sen. Ted Lieu of Torrance said it is not clear that every school has procedures in place.

SB316 by Democratic Sen. Marty Block of San Diego would require that classrooms be retrofitted with inside locks whenever schools are renovated for another purpose.

Both bills passed Wednesday and go to the Assembly.

The authors said their bills were drafted in response to recent mass shootings, including the slaying of 20 students and six educators in December at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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