School Safety Bill Passes the House of Representatives
June 29, 2004

RALEIGH – The House of Representatives adopted House Bill 1453, Discharging a Gun on School Property, during today's session.

The school safety bill, sponsored by Cleveland County Reps. Tim Moore and Debbie Clary, makes firing a gun on school property a Class F felony. The bill was introduced in response to an incident that occurred at Burns Middle School in September, when a student fired shots inside the school. Fortunately no one was injured in the incident.

During the court proceedings, the court ruled that a school is not an enclosure and thus threw out a charge of firing a gun into an occupied property – the most serious of offenses against the student. Clary says, “A definite loophole in the law was discovered when no serious charges could be filed against someone who had fired a gun inside one of our schools. I'd like to thank Rep. Moore for taking the lead to guide this crucial safety bill thru the Legislature.”

Moore said the bill will close the current loophole. “I am pleased that the House overwhelmingly approved our bill today. This new law will make our schools safer and will require someone who discharges a gun in a school to serve time in jail. This law is needed and it's the right thing to do to protect our school children.”

The bill is now pending in the Senate where Rep. Moore and Rep. Clary are working to secure passage prior to adjournment of the General Assembly.