Lawmakers work on school safety bill

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana state lawmakers continued to work on a final version of the school safety bill Tuesday.

Negotiators tried to hammer out details on the duties of school resource officers.

They will be trained police who will oversee safety programs in schools.

One legislator urged her colleagues to make sure the bill also has a mental health component.

She says this will head off troubled kids who might become mass shooters.

"The one thing that we have not dealt with and we haven't dealt at all with is mental health," said State Representative Linda Lawson. "The majority of kids that are in our school corporation are troubled kids. Many, many of them who are in public schools have serious, serious issues."

Legislators have to come up with the final language on the bill so both houses can accept it before Monday’s deadline for adjournment.