Augusta - A Maine legislative committee has voted down a bill that would have required firearms training courses at the state's public high schools.

Many members of the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on Thursday expressed support for the measure, but said they voted it down because they didn't want to burden schools with another mandate at a time when budgets are already stretched thin.

Some said firearms training is already available in most communities and is not the responsibility of schools.

The bill was sponsored by Republican Rep. Paul Davis of Sangerville. While schools would have been required to offer the course, students could have opted out.

The proposal had the support of the Maine Sportsman's Alliance, but executive director David Trahan said he understood the committee's reasoning.

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