Committee authorizes local boards to offer hunter-safety instruction in grades 6–12

The Senate Education and Youth Committee voted to approve House Bill 451 (LC 6101444S), a bill that authorizes local boards of education to provide hunter-safety instruction to students in grades 6–12 if the local board chooses to do so. The instruction must follow existing Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hunter-education courses and be taught by DNR-qualified instructors.

Representative Buchanan presented the bill, describing it as permissive: local boards "shall be authorized" to offer the courses, but the legislature would not require any district to provide them. The sponsor said the instruction is intended to expose students to outdoor skills and firearm safety; committee members in favor cited past experiences in which a DNR officer taught hunter-safety in school, allowing students to qualify for hunter-safety cards at course completion.

Questions from the committee included whether offering the course would be mandatory for urban districts with limited hunting opportunities; sponsors and counsel confirmed the provision is permissive and not a mandate. Committee members also noted that several qualified instructors already exist, including law-enforcement DNR staff, volunteers and teachers currently providing instruction.

After a brief discussion, the committee approved the measure by voice/hand vote; the transcript records the motion, a second, and the chair announcing approval but does not supply a numerical roll call in the record.

The bill now moves forward with permissive authorization for local boards to offer DNR-based hunter-safety instruction in grades 6–12.