As Florida continues to heal from the Feb. 14 school shooting that left 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School dead, Alabama’s lawmakers are putting forth different ideas intended to prevent such tragedies here.

Earlier this week, State Rep. Will Ainsworth, R-Guntersville, announced he would file a bill to allow certified teachers to carry guns on school campuses. Teachers would have to undergo a mental evaluation and participate in 40 hours of training.

Law enforcement leaders in Marshall and DeKalb counties have said they are in support of the measure.

Meanwhile, newly elected Democratic U.S. Sen. Doug Jones told a news station that Ainsworth’s idea was “the dumbest” idea he had ever heard.

“You’re going to have to train those teachers,” Jones was quoted as telling News 5 in Mobile. “You don’t need to arm America in order to stop this, you just need to be smart about it.”

On Thursday, a Birmingham lawmaker proposed a bill that would raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 or similar weapon from 18 to 21. Rep. Juandalynn Givan, a Democrat from Birmingham, said teenagers should not be able to purchase such deadly weapons.

A teenager killed 17 people in a Florida school last week after purchasing an AR-15.

“To me, it’s inconceivable that someone could purchase an assault weapon anywhere in this country at age 18 but can’t purchase a handgun in most places until you’re 21 years of age,” Givan said Thursday.

“If the legal age to drink is 21, then why not make the legal age to purchase a gun 21? I’m talking about an assault weapon, an AR-15 assault weapon that was used last week to kill 17 innocent victims at a school.”

Two local representatives — State Reps. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, and Lynn Greer, R-Rogersville — said Thursday they didn’t have any definite answers on how to best keep the state’s schools safe but added they were willing to look at all options.

Both lawmakers are staunch Second Amendment advocates who don’t want any restrictions on gun ownership. Greer, however, said he’d at least be willing to look at Givan’s bill. Crawford said he’s like to hear from experts on the issue.

“We can’t let them take our weapons away, but I’ve posed the question of why anyone needs (an AR-15),” Greer said, adding he owns an AR-type rifle. “I’m not for gun control, but I think we have to use some common sense. The guy in Florida should not have had (an AR-15).”

Crawford said he doesn’t know what — if any — legislation Alabama lawmakers may pass before the session ends next month. He believes it could be a mix of bills, including one being considered by State Rep. Allen Farley, R-McCalla.

That bill, passed in 2013 for Franklin County Schools, allowed teachers, personnel and volunteers to train to be reserve sheriff’s deputies who had the authority to carry guns on school campuses. Farley could resubmit the bill for statewide use.

“A combination of Farley and Ainsworth’s bills will probably move,” Crawford predicted. “There’s not a lot of time left because the session could end by the third week of March.”

Other measures

Both Greer and Crawford say they’re also willing to look at increased security at school entrances. Crawford said he was surprised he could just walk right into two local schools via unlocked doors. Greer noted how security is more stringent in local courthouses and wondered if such measures are needed in schools.

“The three places where kids should feel safe are home, school and at church,” Greer said. “If a kid doesn’t feel safe at school, there’s not a lot of learning going on.”

Crawford believes education is also crucial, especially in terms of students opening up about potential threats. He said a pilot program introduced last year at Ardmore and Tanner schools used videos to encourage students to report threats. He hopes to expand the program to Athens and Elkmont high schools this year.

“It teaches kids to report things and be open,” he said. “We need to eliminate peer pressure and get (students) to where they can talk freely. They’re the ones who know immediately what’s going on on social media.”

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.