Yesterday the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee heard a number of bills relating to guns on school campuses. Most of the testimony focused on four bills applicable to higher education settings. The committee also heard two bills that would create special training programs for school district employees authorized to carry a concealed handgun on a public school campus. HB 1009 by Rep. Jason Villalba would create a new school marshal position for employees with 80 hours of special training who would act as law enforcement officers for the limited purpose of stopping a violent offense on the campus. HB 1896 by Rep. Phil King calls for having school district employees authorized by their school board to carry a gun on campus if they hold a concealed handgun license and complete 20 hours of additional training; their identities would be kept confidential. All of the bills were left pending in the committee. Next week the Senate Education Committee will consider SB 17 by Chairman Dan Patrick. It also calls for training school district employees who would be authorized to carry concealed handguns on campus.