In far too many cases, a single incident sparks a series of gun control measures. That played out in pro-gun Florida in the wake of Parkland, and as a Georgian, it’s been my hope that it wouldn’t play out after the Apalachee High School shooting in Winder, Georgia.

Of course, there are always going to be some lawmakers who want just that, but there will also be those that oppose it.

Apalachee High was a terrible tragedy, but the loss of life wasn’t the same as Parkland. It didn’t rattle people quite the same way. Had it not happened in an election year, it’s unlikely it would have gotten nearly as much press, if we’re being honest.

Just the same, some want gun control in Georgia, and the Republican speaker of the House is proposing some new legislation in response.

Georgia’s House Speaker Jon Burns outlined new proposals aimed at improving school safety and addressing mental health concerns following the tragic school shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024. The shooting, which left four people dead—including two teachers and two students—has prompted renewed debate over gun control and school security across the state.

In a statement released Thursday, Burns proposed a series of reforms that focus on mental health support, firearm detection in schools, and gun storage safety. These measures are seen as the Republican leadership’s first legislative response to the shooting, which has sparked a wave of discussions on how to prevent future incidents.

Burns, who represents Newington and holds a key position in Georgia’s Republican-led House, emphasized the importance of addressing mental health issues, suggesting improved communication between schools, law enforcement, and mental health workers. His proposal aims to prevent the kinds of communication breakdowns that may have contributed to the Apalachee High School shooting. The suspect, 14-year-old [name redacted], had previously been questioned by authorities in 2023 over threats to another school, but no charges were filed.

“We are aware that a breakdown in communication between school systems and law enforcement officials allowed the shooter’s prior history to slip through the cracks,” Burns said.

Burns also called for expanding mental health services in schools through Georgia’s Apex program, which helps students access counseling and mental health care. Although the Apex program currently covers 31% of students in the state, Burns aims to broaden its reach to prevent future tragedies.

One of Burns’ most notable proposals involves the use of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and advanced camera systems, to detect firearms before they enter school grounds. While some schools already use metal detectors, the speaker believes these new technologies could be more effective in preventing guns from reaching classrooms.

The article, however, doesn’t get into anything about what Burns was thinking regarding gun storage, and that’s kind of important.

Look, I’m very good with mental health reform. I think that’s important across the board and a good thing.

I’m less convinced that AI gun detection is a viable technology versus a waste of money to make it look like you’re doing something, but we can have that discussion. Show me it works and I’ll reconsider, especially if it can show that it won’t go haywire in schools where there are armed teachers or other members of the school staff.

But the issue here is gun storage.

See, if Burns is talking about tax credits for gun safes, I’m down. If he’s talking about an educational campaign on the importance of securing your guns, I’m right there with him and will gladly volunteer my services to help with writing copy or anything else I can do to help. I’m totally down with any of that.

These are the kinds of “gun safety” things that we should be talking about.

Democrats, however, want mandatory storage laws, and without specific promises not to pursue that, I’m still going to be more than a tad worried.

However, considering the other stuff on the table with Burns, I’m not sure I should be all that concerned. Here’s hoping I’m stressing over nothing.