Bulletproof backpacks now approved for Louisiana schools

Published 2:00 pm Sunday, June 3, 2018

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Bulletproof backpacks are now allowed at Louisiana schools.

Gov. John Bel Edwards on Friday signed a proposal to let students wear the bags on school property or on school buses.

Sen. Mike Walsworth, the Republican who sponsored the bill, has said the bags could protect students if a shooter is on campus. His proposal faced little opposition in the Legislature.

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The backpack measure was one of about two dozen gun bills filed this year, most of which stemmed from the February shooting at a Florida high school were 17 people were killed.

Democrats proposed gun restrictions, while Republicans advocated for loosening firearm rules. Most of the measures were unsuccessful.