NC Rep. Hudson introduces bill to help school-aged children with mental health counselors, additional SROs

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – A new bill going through the U.S. House of Representatives is aiming to add additional school resource officers and mental health counselors in schools.

The “Secure Every Schools and Protect Our Nation’s Children Act” was introduced Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-8).

“I’m a father of an elementary school child and so every time we have a shooting it’s just devastating for me, and I can only imagine what the parents are going through,” said Hudson.

The legislation would provide $7 billion to protect schools.

The bill provides $1 billion for schools that want to hire school resources officers, another $1 billion for schools that want to hire guidance counselors, and then $5 billion to go into programs to train law enforcement on active shooting training.

Hudson said the money would come from unspent COVID funds.

Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker said his agency provides school resource officers for 23 schools in the county.

He said any additional funding would help keep schools safe.

“It’s very important. We need all the funding we can get so we can get more. Officers to be able to cover our school system to make sure that it’s sticking and that we’re there if anything happens,” said Baker.

Although $7 billion is a lot of money, Hudson said he believes it’s worth it if it means protecting kids.

“It starts with let’s make the resources available to schools. A lot of schools in my district already have a resource officer on every campus and so if we pass this law they may choose to get the money for guidance counselors,” he said.

Hudson said the bill also includes the ability for schools to apply to get a security assessment done by homeland security of their campus.