By: Guillen, Cain, Harris of Anderson, H.B. No. 2976
Hefner, Manuel, et al.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an elective course on firearms safety for public high
school students and the designation of August as Firearm Safety
Awareness Month.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.0121 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.0121. FIREARMS SAFETY ELECTIVE COURSE. (a) A
school district or open-enrollment charter school that offers a
high school program may offer to students in high school an elective
course on firearms safety based on the curriculum guidelines
developed under Subsection (c). The course must meet the
requirements for a one-half elective credit under Section 28.025.
(b) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
not allow a student to enroll in an elective course offered by the
district or school under Subsection (a) unless the district or
school first obtains the written consent of the parent or person
standing in parental relation to the student.
(c) The State Board of Education shall develop curriculum
guidelines for the elective course on firearms safety. The
curriculum guidelines must:
(1) focus on accident prevention;
(2) promote the safety and protection of students;
(3) emphasize how students should respond when
encountering a firearm; and
(4) include the information contained in the firearms
safety portion of a hunter education course under Section 62.014,
Parks and Wildlife Code.
(d) The State Board of Education shall develop a virtual
course on firearms safety that meets the requirements of an
elective course under Subsection (a) for a school district or
open-enrollment charter school to offer to high school students.
(e) The State Board of Education shall make the virtual
course on firearms safety developed under Subsection (d) available
to:
(1) the agency;
(2) the Parks and Wildlife Department; and
(3) the Department of Public Safety.
(f) Each entity described by Subsection (e) shall make the
virtual course on firearms safety available to the public free of
charge through the entity's Internet website.
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 662, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 662.116 to read as follows:
Sec. 662.116. FIREARM SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH. (a) August
is Firearm Safety Awareness Month to increase awareness of firearm
safety and encourage community residents and leaders to discuss the
safe and responsible ownership, storage, and use of firearms for
recreational and defensive purposes and to promote voluntary and
collaborative methods that improve public safety.
(b) Firearm Safety Awareness Month may be regularly
observed through appropriate activities and programs in
communities to increase awareness of and instruction on the
responsible use of firearms. A firearms accident prevention
program may include animated videos, activity books, and other
instructional materials for community residents of all ages.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the State Board of Education shall:
(1) develop the curriculum guidelines required under
Section 28.0121(c), Education Code, as added by this Act; and
(2) develop the virtual course on firearms safety
required under Section 28.0121(d), Education Code, as added by this
Act.
SECTION 4. Section 28.0121, Education Code, as added by
this Act, applies beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2023.