McAuliffe Signs Bill to Let Ex-Officers Be Armed in Schools

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Gov. Terry McAuliffe has signed legislation to allow some retired police officers to carry guns while working as security guards in Virginia schools.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports the Democratic governor had vetoed a similar bill with weaker training requirements last year.

The state’s online legislative system shows McAuliffe signed House Bill 1392 on Monday. It will go into effect July 1 and give schools the option of hiring armed security guards as school board employees. The guards must be retired law enforcement officers who have been retired for 10 years or less.

Guns are generally banned from school grounds under state law, with an exception for active law enforcement personnel assigned to schools as part of their official duties.

The bill passed the Republican-controlled General Assembly by wide margins.