Rep. John James introduces bills to protect student safety
U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, on Thursday introduced three safety bills aimed at protecting children and schools, including one to provide a tax break of up to $300 to parents or guardians who purchase gun locks or safes to keep firearms out of the hands of children.
A second bill, modeled on one already introduced in the Senate, seeks to require parental or guardian permission for anyone under the age of 18 to access social media as a way to reduce exposure to disturbing or addictive content. A third would require each presidential administration to include in its annual National Security Strategy report to Congress a plan for ensuring the safety of schools.
Each of the bills included Democratic sponsors as well, with U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio joining James on the tax credit bill and U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan of New York joining him on the other two.
"As the father of three school-aged boys, I pray every day that the Lord allows them to return home safe and sound," James said. "It’s insane that millions of parents have to make that prayer every day in America. It’s incensing that dozens of parents’ prayers have not been answered in a generation. Prayer is powerful but we must do more than pray. We must change policy too."
While introducing the legislation, James also affirmed his commitment to upholding the Second Amendment protection of gun ownership and called gun deaths in America "symptoms of cultural decay and hopelessness."
In his statement, James didn't mention that the question of gun access may have played a role in the Oxford High School shooting in November 2021 in the district neighboring James'. Ethan Crumbley, who at age 15 killed four students and injured seven others, said when he pleaded guilty to murder last year that the gun was easily accessible, contradicting his parents — who also face charges — and their claim it was locked in a drawer.
Given the bipartisan nature of the bills — and James' position as a first-term incumbent in a tossup district anchored in Macomb County — the legislation has a better chance of passage than many other similar efforts. James is running for reelection next year.
The tax credit, if it were to pass, is proposed as a non-refundable one, meaning that if the credit were more than a taxpayer owed, he or she would not receive a refund for the difference.
Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Rep. John James introduces bills to protect student safety
