LANCASTER — Gov. Tom Corbett said today that his upcoming budget proposal will include a school-safety initiative in response to the recent Newtown shootings.
Mr. Corbett, a Republican, offered few details on that initiative, which he mentioned in responding to a question about his reaction to President Barack Obama authorizing $500 million in gun-control efforts earlier today.
The governor, who was touring a CareerLink employment center here, said he had not yet seen the president’s gun-control package. The executive orders signed today call for more comprehensive background checks, research into the causes of gun violence and allowing schools to hire more mental health counselors and school resources officers.
“From what I know, some of them sound like common-sense things to do,” Mr. Corbett said, adding that ensuring public safety and promoting mental-health services are top priorities. “We will have to get back and take a look at them and review them.”
As for his upcoming school-safety proposal, Mr. Corbett said it will be directed at enabling “schools to address individual safety needs in protecting our students and educators.”
Click here to read the full article by Laura Olson published in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (January 16, 2013)
