(ABC 6 News) — A school shooting in Georgia on Wednesday sent shockwaves around the nation, and in Rochester, many are hoping schools and lawmakers have polices and procedures to keep kids safe.

At some schools, students are heading back to class without regular access to their phones because of a bill that requires districts to develop cell phone policies.

“Schools, their purpose is to be learning environments, and we have been hearing from school boards across the state, rural, suburban, urban that cell phone usage in classes had been really hurting this environment.” Rep. Andy Smith (DFL) said.

Lawmakers in the Rochester area said they want the primary focus to be on learning, but it is left up to the school district to develop their own cell phone policies, as well as procedures for if violence occurs in the schools.

Kim Gaines’s child graduated years ago, but while in school she had conversations with her child about safety if violence did break out, and she thinks other parents should do the same.

“I think it’s very important to give children a chance to voice their concerns, whether that be by talking with them if they’re able to talk about it,” Gaines said.

Gaines and Smith also said part of the problem was access to firearms.

“These kind of shootings don’t happen everywhere in the world. We’ve done some great stuff in Minnesota in the last couple of years but there is more to do,” Smith said.