Per Abby Of ANF– HB 268 is a key piece of House Speaker Jon Burns’ school safety legislation.
The bill would create a statewide database to build a list of students deemed a threat. The list would be managed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and shared with law enforcement.
The bill’s sponsor, Holt Persinger, R-Winder, said the bill was created in response to the deadly mass shooting at Apalachee High School.
Representatives of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency testified that the database would not be used to profile students or provide mass surveillance.
They estimate the system would track data for roughly 1% of students across the state.
“I understand wanting to protect your child’s privacy, but I think protecting their lives is more important,” said Kevin Zink.
The committee didn’t vote on the bill. The Committee chairman, state Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, suggested they may make changes to the legislation.
If changes are made before the Senate vote, the House will need to vote on the bill again.
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