Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Firearms Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate approves voluntary firearms safety education bill for schools
Summary
The Senate passed a second-substitute bill encouraging voluntary firearms safety education in school districts, with parental opt-out and no fiscal note. Sponsors said the program is optional for districts and uses existing materials and certified instructors where available.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate passed a second substitute of House Bill 126 on March 1, 1994, a measure that encourages school districts to offer voluntary firearms safety education.
Senator Blackham described the bill as a non-mandatory program that "encourages" districts to make firearms safety instructional materials and trained volunteer instructors available. He emphasized the bill carries no fiscal note and allows a parental opt-out for student participation. Senators asked questions about who would certify instructors and whether existing authority already permits districts to run similar programs; Blackham said the State Board of Education would promulgate rules and the bill lists allowable resources and instructor sources.
Senator Black asked whether districts could already adopt such programs and the floor discussion confirmed the measure primarily creates a standardized, voluntary framework rather than a required statewide mandate. There was also a short exchange about sources of training materials and a note that the National Rifle Association had been removed from the list of enumerated expert providers in the amended text.
The Senate voted under suspension of the rules and recorded 25 ayes, no nays, and no nays in the roll call for the second substitute; the bill passed and was sent to the House for their further action.
Ending and next steps: With passage, the bill directs the State Board of Education to create any necessary rules and permits individual districts to adopt the program at their discretion. Implementation details, including certification pathways for volunteer instructors and approved materials, will be carried out through board rulemaking and local district procedures.
