SESSION OF 2025
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2104
As Recommended by House Committee on
Federal and State Affairs
Brief*
HB 2104 would create law related to firearm safety
education programs conducted in public school districts.
The bill would allow local school boards of education
(local boards) to provide firearm safety education programs.
The State Board of Education (State Board) would be
directed to establish curriculum guidelines for a standardized
firearm safety education program, which the bill would require
to include accident prevention.
The bill would specify programs to be used based on the
grade level of students, as follows:
●Kindergarten through grade 5 guidelines would be
based on the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe program (Eddie
Eagle program) offered by the National Rifle
Association (NRA) or any successor program;
●Grades 6 through 8 guidelines would be based on
either the Eddie Eagle program, or any successor
program, or the Hunter Education in Our Schools
program (Hunter Education) offered by the Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks, or any successor
program; and
●Grades 9 through 12 guidelines would be based on
Hunter Education or any successor program.
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
https://klrd.gov/ The bill would require, if a local board chooses to
provide firearm safety education:
●Such instruction must be in accordance with the
guidelines established by the State Board; and
●Such instruction must be offered to ensure that all
students are provided the opportunity to take the
course.
Background
The bill was introduced by Representative Penn.
House Committee on Federal and State Affairs
In the House Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by Representative Penn and by representatives
of the Kansas State Rifle Association, the National Shooting
Sports Foundation, and Women for Gun Rights. The
proponents stated the bill would standardize firearm safety
education across the state and could prevent accidents
involving children and firearms.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
representatives of the NRA and Safari Club International, and
by two private citizens.
Opponent testimony was provided by a member of the
State Board and a private citizen, stating concerns with a
legislative mandate on curriculum due to the State Board’s
powers under the Kansas Constitution and case law. The
opponents also stated the effectiveness of the Eddie Eagle
program at preventing gun accidents involving children is
unclear.
Written-only opponent testimony was provided by
representatives of Kansans for Excellence in Education,
Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas National
2- 2104 Education Association, and the State Board of Education, and
by 42 private citizens.
Written-only neutral testimony was provided by a private
citizen.
Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, the State Department of Education
indicates enactment of the bill would require the creation of a
Standards Development Committee, which would meet
multiple times over the course of a year to develop the
required standards. Costs for the process would include
development and review of materials, transportation
reimbursement for some in-person meetings, and other
development costs at an estimated cost of $70,000, all from
the State General Fund. The Department notes that local
school districts would incur costs to train teachers and
purchase new curriculum materials; however, the cost of
these materials would not be known until the standards are
developed. Any fiscal effect associated with enactment of the
bill is not reflected in The FY 2026 Governor’s Budget Report.
K-12 education; firearms; firearms safety education; curriculum guidelines; State
Board of Education
3- 2104