South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed a bill allowing teachers to carry guns in school. The law goes into effect on July 1.

The main bill sponsor Rep. Scott Craig, R-Rapid City, said that he has received messages from a growing number of school board members and administrators who back it. Craig said rural districts do not have the money to hire full-time law officers, so they are interested in arming teachers or volunteers, said Fox News.

For a dozen years, Utah has allowed teachers and others with concealed carry licenses to wear a gun in a public school. A couple of school districts in Texas have been given written authorization to allow guns in schools. And legislatures in other states, including Georgia, New Hampshire and Kansas, are working on measures similar to South Dakota's. said Fox News.

The measure does not force a district to arm its teachers and would not force teachers to carry a gun.