FIREARM SAFETY COURSE S.B. 664 (S-1):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 664 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Committee: Natural Resources and Agriculture
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require the Department of Education (MDE) to adopt and make available to schools a model program of firearm safety instruction in schools and prescribe the requirements of such instruction by June 1, 2025. A student who had completed the instruction would be considered to have completed the hunter safety course necessary to obtain a hunting license as a minor under the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
BRIEF RATIONALE
Recently, the State adopted several new firearm laws like safe storage requirements. According to testimony before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture, education on the State's laws would help more people become responsible gun owners along with potentially involving younger generations in hunting and conservation. Accordingly, it has been suggested that firearm safety be taught at schools to accomplish these goals.
Legislative Analyst: Eleni Lionas
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate, but minor, negative fiscal impact on the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Costs to the DNR would primarily consist of administrative costs associated with developing a model program and providing hunter education instructors to teach these courses.
The bill would have a fiscal impact on the State and an indeterminate fiscal impact on school districts and public school academies. The MDE would experience additional costs to adopt models for firearm safety instruction. If a model were available for the MDE to adopt, then costs would be minimal; however, if the MDE had to develop the model completely, the cost could be greater than current appropriations.
Local school districts and public school academies that chose to offer firearm safety instruction could experience additional costs to hire staff to support the course. The bill would not require districts or public school academies to offer the course, so the choice to offer the course would be at the discretion of the local unit using available dollars.
Date Completed: 12-16-24 Fiscal Analyst: Jonah Houtz
Cory Savino, PhD
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.