Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman has signed a county council bill banning guns in county buildings. The bill holds an exception for police officers and individuals who carry guns as part of county business. As reported in The Baltimore Sun:

The bill, passed by the council on May 4, was co-sponsored by County Council Democrats Calvin Ball, Jen Terrasa and Jon Weinstein. Council Chairwoman Mary Kay Sigaty, a Democrat, joined them to vote in favor of the bill, while Councilman Greg Fox, a Republican, voted against it.

Tuesday, Kittleman said he struggled over whether to sign the bill into law but ultimately was swayed by safety considerations.

“Keeping county employees and residents safe is one of my top priorities,” Kittleman said in a statement. “Currently, there are no prohibitions against bringing weapons into county buildings and there is no question that we need to address this issue.”

For more information read the full article in The Baltimore Sun.