Contentious school safety bill that could place armed guards in school hallways is advancing through the Kentucky General Assembly.

One aspect of Senate Bill two that most parties agree on is additional support for student mental health.

But it's who would be offering that support.

That riled some lawmakers in committee this morning.

Our June Lefler with Kentucky Edition reports.

The revised school safety measure now includes pastoral counselors as part of the Trauma Informed Care team to help kids in distress.

More on that as we begin tonight's legislative update.

State Senator Max Wise pushed for school resource officers or Sorrows in 2019.

Those are police officers on school campuses.

Today, he says school districts can't recruit enough of them.

And that's why districts should consider an alternative hiring armed guards.

If you have an elementary school, let's say, by the way, the crow flies is 8 minutes away from that SRO that's at the high school.

That elementary does not have coverage in that school district right now, doesn't have the funding to provide an additional SRO.

A guardian is a is a person who is, as the bill states.

Retired state trooper, retired law enforcement, retired federal law enforcement, honorably discharged veteran who's applying within five years of their discharge.

To their employment as a guardian.

They could fill that role at that elementary school because they don't have anyone right now to cover that.

Why says sorrows are the gold standard, but armed guardians are the right stopgap measure.

A Louisville Democrat says guards should never replace sorrows.

And I'm just devastated that we will have something that might skew away from that program, might allow us to have people who are paid less money and districts may decide that because they're paid less money, they might have guardians instead of sorrows.

And the consequences of someone having less training in our school buildings around our children is just very concerning to me.

I'm a no vote.

The bill also bolsters school, mental health services, something most lawmakers like.

A House representative, says religious pastors with certain credentials should be considered for school counseling roles, too.

Just like students need more people to protect them, he says.

Students need more people to talk to.

And there are times when it's all hands on deck and there's not enough hands to be able to come in and address the need, whatever it may be.

With a situation that trauma would be a result of that situation.

The committee signed off on this edition, but some questioned it.

We're seeing over and over again different situations here in Frankfurt where we're allowing people to opt out of providing services that are critical for people based on them not feeling conscientiously objecting to it or they vehemently agree or disagree based on values.

And I think that that's something that we have got to iron out in here.

It's got to be in here.

And if that piece is not in here, then this is a Pandora's box that I think we don't need to go near.

The House Education Committee approved Senate Bill two and now heads to the full House.

Some changes were included.

The Kentucky Center for School Safety will oversee the Guardian program.

And school boards would need to sign a memorandum with local law enforcement on what they and guardians should do in case of a shooting.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm June Leffler.