Dayton Readies Plan to Fund School Safety Improvements

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Gov. Mark Dayton is ready to lay out his plan to fund safety and security improvements in schools across Minnesota.

The Democratic governor was expected to release his plan Wednesday. It's likely to include funding to help schools cover costs, but could also be paired with a push to change the state's gun laws.

School safety measures are a rarely shared priority with the Republican-controlled Legislature after last month's deadly school shooting in Florida.

Lawmakers have suggested they'll create a new fund or repurpose existing funding sources to help schools pay for security improvements.

Dayton and the Legislature could use a modest budget surplus for the funding.
The state projects a $329 million surplus for the remainder of the state's
budget cycle.