Committee hears House Bill 4285 to allow hunter-safety instruction in Michigan schools

Representative Vanderwall introduced House Bill 4285 to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism, saying the bill would allow schools to offer hunter-safety classes as an extracurricular or as part of an existing physical-education course without requiring schools to participate.

"The bill will also not be a mandate. The schools will not be required to add hunter safety to their PE curriculum," Representative Vanderwall said, adding that parents would have an opt-out and that firearms would not be allowed on school property as part of the classroom portion.

The sponsor said the in-class portion would be taught in school but that the required in-person field day to complete a hunting license would be held off campus by licensed instructors or local sportsmen’s clubs. He told the committee the bill’s language was written in coordination with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Education and that the DNR had placed a card of support.

Witnesses from conservation and sportsmen’s groups pressed the economic and participation arguments for the bill. Justin Tomei of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs cited a 2019 economic-impact study and said hunting, trapping and angling produce roughly $11.2 billion in economic activity in Michigan, with about $7.9 billion directly from hunting and trapping purchases. Nick Bugee, appearing for the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, and Brady Schickinger of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners emphasized safety training and said offering credit during the school day would expand access.

Certified hunter-safety instructor Jack Ammerman told the committee he had put more than 400 students through hunter-safety courses in the prior 18 months and described demand for classes and difficulties families face getting into existing courses. Ammerman said the DNR mandates a minimum of an eight-hour classroom component and affirmed that firearms would not be handled in school classrooms.

Committee members asked about cost, liability, curriculum alignment and age limits. The sponsor and witnesses said the program should have little to no direct cost to schools because materials are available through the DNR, that certified outside instructors would handle firearms training and the field day, and that the DNR recommended aligning statutory language with agency training rules so the statute would not need revision if DNR rules change. Representative Vanderwall said the DNR’s guidance sets a minimum age of 10 to attend without a parent; children 9 and younger must be accompanied by a parent for field activities.

Multiple conservation organizations and hunting-related groups submitted cards in support of the bill, and the DNR submitted a card indicating support while suggesting technical wording that might become an amendment. No committee vote on House Bill 4285 was recorded at this meeting.