Georgia could become the first state in the nation to require every student to be screened for weapons when entering a public school each day under legislation now nearing final passage at the State Capitol.
The proposal comes in response to the 2024 school shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder that left four people dead and renewed calls for stronger campus safety measures.
“That rifle would have never reached our hallways,” said Apalachee High School junior Daria Lezczynska. “Lives would have been saved. Families would not be grieving. Students like me would not be carrying this trauma.”
The bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, would require weapons detection systems in all Georgia public schools, including elementary schools. Efstration said the goal is to provide the same level of protection found in courthouses and other public buildings.
“It’s very commonplace for me to walk through a weapons detection system when I enter into a courthouse,” Efstration said. “Georgia’s students and educators deserve similar security with weapons detection systems inside of every Georgia public school.”
Many schools already use safety measures such as metal detectors or clear backpacks, but newer technology combines cameras, computer analysis, and electromagnetic detection to identify guns and knives more efficiently. These systems are becoming more common in schools, stadiums, hospitals, and other public facilities.
Supporters point to results in Atlanta Public Schools, which spent more than $4 million in 2021 to install updated detection systems in middle and high schools. District Police Chief Ronald Applin said guns found on campuses dropped from 32 the year before installation to just four so far this year.
At Midtown High School, students pass through detection gates while holding laptops in the air, and a screen alerts staff if a bag needs additional inspection. School Resource Officer Meredith Littles described the process as “very non-intrusive” and not adversarial for students.
However, questions remain about the effectiveness and cost of the systems. Nationwide research on weapons detectors is limited, and critics say frequent false alarms can reduce vigilance and allow real threats to slip through.
Nikita Ermolaev, a research engineer who studies security technology, said systems must balance sensitivity to avoid constant alarms while still detecting weapons.
“You have 100 alarms and the first 99 of them are false alarms… you’re naturally going to assume the 100th alarm is also benign,” Ermolaev said.
Funding is also a concern. Weapons detection systems can cost $10,000 or more per unit, and schools must provide staff to monitor checkpoints and search bags. Georgia currently provides $50,000 per campus for school safety, but many districts already use that money for school resource officers. Lawmakers have proposed borrowing an additional $50 million to help fund the systems.
Cobb County Assistant Superintendent Gretchen Walton said districts support the concept but need financial backing.
“While we absolutely think weapons detection is imperative, it can only be made possible with appropriate funding,” Walton said.
Some lawmakers and advocates argue the focus should instead be on limiting access to guns. Democratic State Rep. Bryce Berry, a public school teacher, voted against the bill and criticized the approach.
“We have allowed guns and weapons of war to become more available than a pack of gum in this state, then act confused when people keep dying,” Berry said. “Let’s stop hiding behind procedure and politics and pretending that the threat our children face is some vague, mysterious force.”
The measure was approved by a Senate committee on Monday and now awaits final votes in both chambers during the closing days of Georgia’s 2026 legislative session. If passed, the bill would head to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto.