MONTGOMERY, Ala. — On Wednesday, Alabama lawmakers voted against a proposed bill aimed at criminally penalizing parents whose children bring unsecured guns to school. This decision diverges from a growing trend across the nation, where parents of school shooters have faced legal actions.
The bill, sponsored by Democratic Representative Barbara Drummond from Mobile, was framed as a measure to enhance school safety rather than as a gun control initiative. It sought to impose a penalty of up to one year in jail for parents who failed to secure their firearms with trigger locks, lock boxes, or other secure methods before their child brought the weapon to school.
In a closely contested vote, the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee rejected the bill along partisan lines. Republican lawmakers expressed support for the bill’s underlying intention but argued against mandating how and where firearms should be stored, suggesting that it imposed an unfair burden on parents. Representative Ginny Shaver from Leesburg articulated her opposition, noting that it is unjust to hold parents criminally liable for their child’s actions.
While it remains uncommon for parents to be held accountable when minors commit acts of violence in schools, there have been notable exceptions in recent legal actions. For instance, a father faced second-degree murder charges in February due to his son’s alleged involvement in a deadly school shooting in north Georgia. Similarly, the Crumbleys of Michigan were the first parents in the United States to receive convictions related to a mass school shooting, resulting in sentences of at least ten years in prison for failing to secure their firearm and ignoring warning signs regarding their son’s mental health prior to the tragic incident that claimed four lives in 2021.
The issue regained attention in Alabama following a February incident where a second grader accidentally discharged a gun that had been brought to school in his backpack, reported AL.com.
Additionally, the committee approved a separate measure aimed at increasing penalties for making threats of school shootings, motivated by a series of threats that emerged last year. Drummond revealed her own experience as a gun owner, highlighting her commitment to keeping firearms away from the minor she fostered for three years during his teenage years.
“I hope none of our children die because of this,” Drummond expressed following the defeat of her bill.
