Georgia lawmakers have decided to abandon the creation of a comprehensive database designed to track students who might pose a violent threat, despite moving forward with other aspects of a school safety bill developed in response to a tragic school shooting at Apalachee High School last September.
The compromise version of House Bill 268 was introduced by House and Senate members on Thursday, subsequently receiving unanimous approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee. This approval clears the way for the bill to be finalized during the concluding days of the state’s 2025 legislative session.
The initiative for information sharing arose from concerns that the Barrow County school district lacked awareness of the warning signs exhibited by the 14-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of two students and two teachers. However, significant resistance emerged from both Democratic and Republican groups, concerned that the database could lead to a lasting record with no due process, potentially discriminating against racial and religious minorities.
“The main reason for shelving this idea was pushback across the political spectrum over fears of children being unfairly stigmatized due to mere allegations or unverified complaints,” explained Sen. Bill Cowsert, an Athens Republican whose district includes parts of Barrow County.
The revised version of the bill also removes the obligation for schools to establish formal threat assessment teams. Such teams are recommended by numerous national experts, and training for them is already provided by the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. House Education Committee Chairman Chris Erwin, a Republican from Homer, expressed optimism that schools would choose to adopt this model on their own.
“I believe that there is already a recognition within schools of the value of planning and preparation,” Erwin commented. “Thus, having a statewide framework isn’t as crucial as we previously assumed.”
Although police will still be required to inform schools when they learn that a student has threatened violence, these reports will not be part of a student’s permanent record nor will they transfer with the student between districts. This raises concerns about the bill’s ability to address criticisms following the Apalachee shooting, where information from a sheriff’s deputy interview of the suspect in Jackson County was never relayed to relevant school officials in Barrow County when the student transferred.
Provisions in the bill include faster transfer of student records upon entering a new school, creation of positions in each Georgia school district to facilitate mental health treatment coordination, and implementation of an anonymous reporting system.
Additional elements borrowed from separate Senate bills require Georgia public schools to equip employees with wearable panic buttons. Schools must also submit updated digital maps of their campuses annually to various agencies.
The amended proposal defaults to prosecuting children aged 13 to 16 as adults if charged with terroristic acts, aggravated assault involving a firearm, or attempted murder. Originally, broader crime categories for adult prosecution had been proposed by the Senate, but House leaders opposed increasing adult prosecution for juveniles.