ATLANTA — A bill that would make Georgia the first state in the nation to require weapons detectors in all public schools cleared a key legislative hurdle Thursday when the House Education Committee voted to advance the measure.
House Bill 1023, introduced by House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration (R-Mulberry), would mandate that every public school building install weapons detection systems at main entry points by July 2027. The requirement would apply to all grade levels, including elementary schools.
“There’s nothing more important than the safety and the futures of our children,” Efstration told the committee during Thursday’s hearing.
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Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson learned the bill passed out of committee with bipartisan understanding that school safety remains a priority, though lawmakers raised questions about implementation costs.
Rep. Phil Olaleye (D-Atlanta) noted that Atlanta Public Schools estimated the cost of basic systems at roughly $61,000 per elementary school.
“I don’t think anyone up here is against wanting to ensure the safety and protection of our children while they’re in school,” Olaleye said. “My only question is at what point are we going to also increase the support that schools have in offsetting these increased costs?”
Efstration stressed that the bill allows local school boards to choose which detection systems work best for their campuses, from basic walk-through metal detectors to more advanced AI-based technology. He pointed to more than $100 million in state grants already allocated for school safety.
The push for statewide requirements gained momentum from parents like Jeramie Cavallaro, who has attended Gwinnett County school board meetings nearly every month since the Apalachee High School shooting in 2024.
Cavallaro’s family stood in support of the bill during Thursday’s hearing alongside some Apalachee High School community members, including a student who was present during the shooting.
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“Society has failed stopping school shootings,” Cavallaro said in an interview. “We should stand for weapons in schools the same way we do at airports and at sporting events and concerts, and even Disney World.”
In a separate interview, State Rep. David Wilkerson (D-Powder Springs) raised concerns about the speed of the legislative process.
“You’re asking my taxpayers to pay for something they had no voice in,” Wilkerson said. “I believe that the people that live in our districts can tell you more about how to keep our kids safe.”
Gwinnett County has already installed weapons detection systems in its middle and high schools at a cost of approximately $20 million, but has resisted expanding them into elementary schools.
The bill is expected to soon head to the full House for consideration.
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