LITTLE ROCK — Public school students in Arkansas will soon be required to take gun safety courses. On Tuesday, March 4, the Arkansas state Senate passed a bill to provide firearms safety instruction to students. The bill — HB111, was signed into law by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders as Act 229.
The Act states that the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission will determine the earliest grade in which it is appropriate for students to receive instruction in firearm safety.
It will require public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools to provide annual firearm safety instruction.
The courses are currently set to include videos and online resources, with possible incorporation of off-campus live-fire exercises.
The act is intended to protect Arkansas children from the accidental discharge of firearms by providing age-appropriate firearm education and instruction.
Points of instruction are to include:
The steps to take if a student finds an unsecured firearm.
Avoiding injury if the student finds an unsecured firearm.
Never touching a firearm if the student finds an unsecured firearm.
Immediately notifying an adult of the location of the unsecured firearm.
School safety relating to firearms.
The proper handling and safe storage of firearms.
Inclusion of neutral viewpoints on all included topics.
The classes will be implemented into the curriculum beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
HB1117 was sponsored by Rep. R. Scott Richardson, Andrews, Duffield, Perry, Rye; and Sen. J. Bryant.
