Senate Bill 8, sponsored by Sen. Max Wise, drew criticism locally as the Jefferson County Board of Education grappled with whether or not its internal team of school security should be armed.

Members of the Jefferson County Board of Education have debated for months whether or not officers in a JCPS security force should carry guns in schools, but draft policies and procedures presented to the board’s policy committee have always had them armed.

Senate Bill 8, sponsored by Sen. Max Wise, comes as the Jefferson County Board of Education grapples with the decision of whether school security officers in Kentucky’s largest school district will be armed.

Senate Bill 8 passed the House Education Committee on a 16-5-1 vote Tuesday.

Senate Bill 8 comes at a time when the Jefferson County Board of Education is debating whether to arm its team of school security officers.

Senate Bill 8 would change the appeals process for Kentucky teachers.