Committee sends bill to floor to fund optional K-12 firearms classes with specialty license-plate proceeds

The Transportation and Defense Committee voted to send Senate Bill 1105 as amended to the floor with a "do pass" recommendation after brief discussion about oversight and funding authority.

The bill would use revenue from a specialty license plate to fund in-person firearms training offered to kindergarten through 12th-grade schools on an opt-in basis and would create a seven-member volunteer committee appointed by the attorney general to oversee grants and distribution, Representative Judy Boyle said.

"It's always good for kids to learn about guns so they don't do dumb things with them," Representative Judy Boyle said while presenting the bill and describing the bill's changes from last year. Boyle said the bill adds language specifying that the classes covered by the fund would be in-person and that two legislators named in the proposal would not be paid for serving on the oversight panel.

Representative Petzke raised a funding and oversight question, noting that the Department of Education had requested roughly "35,000 ish dollars" from the license-plate fund in its budget to pay a person to manage grant distribution. Petzke said the committee was skeptical because the specialty plate had not yet generated revenue.

Representative Webb responded that the Department of Education appears to be seeking spending authority rather than an immediate cash transfer, clarifying that the actual cash would come from plate sales if and when revenues exist.

Representative Monks moved to send Senate Bill 1105 as amended to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; the chair called for a voice vote and recorded the motion as carried. Representative Boyle confirmed she will carry the bill on the floor.

Separately, the committee approved the minutes from the March 4 meeting by voice vote earlier in the session.

The bill now proceeds to the full chamber for further consideration.