House committee advances bill for 30-minute firearm safety lesson, allows off-campus certification substitution

The House Education Committee on Thursday advanced HB 11 17, a bill that would require a brief, 30-minute firearm safety course in schools and allow students who already hold certification from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to substitute that off-campus training for the in-school module.

Representative Scott Richardson, R., of House District 13, who sponsored the bill, told the committee he removed all language in the draft that referenced “use” of firearms or instruction tied to the state Constitution so the bill would focus strictly on safety. “This is not about training the use of firearms. This is simply about safety,” Richardson said during his presentation.

Committee members questioned how the off-campus substitution would work. Representative Gonzales Worthen asked whether the bill would require students to leave campus to learn to shoot; Richardson replied the substitution applies only to students already enrolled in extracurricular shooting sports who hold certification from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and whose parents have approved the substitution. The sponsor said the training is intended to recognize existing certified safety training, not to require in-school live-fire instruction.

The bill leaves scheduling and implementation details to the Department of Education, Richardson said, noting department staff and the Game and Fish Commission have suggested integrating the 30-minute safety lesson into existing safety-themed weeks or other school events. “We’ve left that completely up to the department,” Richardson said.

The committee first voted to expunge a prior recorded vote on the bill at the beginning of the hearing; Representative Vaught moved to expunge and the chair announced the expungement passed by voice vote. Later, Representative Painter moved that the committee give HB 11 17 a “do pass” recommendation; after brief discussion and positive comment from Representative Beck, the committee recorded a favorable voice vote for the motion.

No public witnesses signed on to speak for or against the bill during the hearing.

If enacted, HB 11 17 would require school districts to provide a short firearm safety course and permit specified off-campus certification to satisfy that requirement for participating students; the measure as presented does not direct new appropriations or specify a start date.

The bill will move next to the full House for further consideration, subject to the regular legislative process.