SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Bi
House Bill 119 , sponsored by State Rep. Tim Jimenez (R-Tooele), would create the “Educator-Protector Program,” which would give $500 to every teacher with a valid concealed carry permit who participates in classroom response and firearms training.
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“Since teachers can carry already, many of them have reached out to me and asked if they could get reimbursed for training,” Jimenez told ABC4 News. “That way they feel a little bit more confident with the firearm they are carrying.”
Under the bill, a teacher in the program would be able to store their gun on school grounds if it’s in a biometric safe in their classroom or office. Under Utah State law, teachers are allowed to conceal carry on school grounds , under certain rules and guidelines. In 2023, Utah lawmakers also passed a policy that waived the fees for concealed carry permits for school employees.
Training for teachers in the program would be provided at least once a year by the Department of Public Safety, local law enforcement or an approved firearms instructor, the bill states. In order to stay in the program, teachers would have to participate in training each year.