Schools in New Mexico could allow an employee to carry a concealed handgun on school property under a proposal by a Republican legislator.
State law prohibits guns on school premises except in limited instances, such as by police and school security guards.
The legislation by Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort of Sandia Park comes a month after a Connecticut school shooting that claimed the lives of 26 children and school workers.
Under Beffort's proposal, a school could designate one of its workers to bring a loaded, concealed handgun on campus if the individual was licensed to carry the weapon.
The National Rifle Association has advocated placing armed guards in all schools. President Barack Obama has proposed gun law changes, including a ban on assault-style weapons.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.