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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Some favorite leisure time activities in Missouri could become high school sports.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association announced Thursday that member schools voted to allow schools to sponsor teams in bass fishing, chess, bowling and target shooting, beginning next year.

The association says it could eventually hold state championships in the events. First, at least 50 schools in at least three of the state's eight districts would have to have teams in the sports. Then member schools would decide whether to add the state championships

The Springfield News-Leader reports if the championships are approved, they would be added to the next two-year cycle.

Schools also voted to allow softball championships in the fall or spring. And track and field will add a fifth class next spring.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri Senate has passed a bill that would allow designated school personnel to carry concealed weapons in school buildings.

The Senate voted 26-6 Thursday to pass the measure. It now heads back to the House for further consideration.

The bill would allow school employees to voluntary become "protection officers" if they have a valid concealed weapons permit and undergo training for the position.

The legislation would also lower the minimum age required to obtain a concealed weapons permit from 21 to 19. It would also allow firearms of less than 16 inches to be openly carried even in municipalities that have ordinances against it.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri education officials are having statewide meetings to talk to the public about a new uniform set of benchmarks for math, reading and writing.

The gatherings will get started at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Florissant, St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, Springfield, Marceline, Camdenton, Warrensburg and Kansas City.

The new Common Core standards replace a hodgepodge of educational goals that varied wildly from state to state. The federal government was not involved in the state-led effort to develop them but has encouraged the project.

The only states not to adopt the standards are Alaska, Nebraska, Texas and Virginia. Minnesota adopted the reading but not the math standards.

Backers say they will better prepare students for college and careers. But critics worry they'll be costly to implement and nationalize public schools.