Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H1/28/25 H2/17/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1117
4
5 By: Representatives R. Scott Richardson, Andrews, Duffield, Perry, Rye
6 By: Senator J. Bryant
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND
10 SECONDARY EDUCATION AND THE ARKANSAS STATE GAME AND
11 FISH COMMISSION TO DETERMINE THE EARLIEST GRADE IN
12 WHICH IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR STUDENTS TO RECEIVE
13 INSTRUCTION ON FIREARM SAFETY; TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC
14 SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AN OPEN-ENROLLMENT PUBLIC CHARTER
15 SCHOOL TO ANNUALLY PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH INSTRUCTION
16 ON FIREARM SAFETY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
17
18
19 Subtitle
20 CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF
21 INSTRUCTION ON FIREARM SAFETY IN PUBLIC
22 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND OPEN-ENROLLMENT
23 PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.
24
25 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
26
27 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 16, Subchapter 1, is amended
28 to add an additional section to read as follows:
29 6-16-163. Instruction on firearm safety -- Required.
30 (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to:
31 (1) Protect Arkansas children from the accidental discharge of
32 firearms by providing age-appropriate firearm education and instruction; and
33 (2) Empower the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission to work
34 with the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to create and approve
35 age-appropriate firearm safety courses.
36 (b)(1) The division, in consultation with the commission, shall
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As Engrossed: H1/28/25 H2/17/25 HB1117
1 determine the earliest grade in which it is appropriate for students enrolled
2 in public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools to
3 begin receiving instruction on firearm safety.
4 (2) In order to make the determination required under
5 subdivision (a)(1) of this section, the division and the commission shall
6 study relevant data and risk factors, including without limitation the
7 earliest age at which:
8 (A) Incidents of injury involving firearms are reported;
9 and
10 (B) Children are susceptible to harm from unsecured
11 firearms that they are able to gain access to.
12 (c) Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each public school
13 district and open-enrollment public charter school shall annually provide
14 students with age-appropriate and grade-appropriate instruction on firearm
15 safety.
16 (d) The curriculum or program of instruction used to educate students
17 on firearm safety under subsection (b) of this section shall:
18 (1) Be approved by the division;
19 (2) Begin in the earliest appropriate grade as determined by the
20 division and the commission under subsection (a) of this section and continue
21 in each subsequent grade through grade twelve (12);
22 (3) Include instruction on the following without limitation:
23 (A) The steps to take if a student finds an unsecured
24 firearm, including without limitation the importance of:
25 (i) Avoiding injury if the student finds an
26 unsecured firearm;
27 (ii) Never touching a firearm if the student finds
28 an unsecured firearm; and
29 (iii) Immediately notifying an adult of the location
30 of the unsecured firearm;
31 (B) School safety relating to firearms; and
32 (C) The proper handling and safe storage of firearms; and
33
34 (4) Include neutral viewpoints on all included topics, including
35 without limitation the prevention of accidental firearm injury.
36
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As Engrossed: H1/28/25 H2/17/25 HB1117
1 (e)(1) The division shall not approve a curriculum or program of instruction
2 used to educate students on firearm safety if the curriculum, program of
3 instruction, or any of the instructional materials used as part of the
4 curriculum or program of instruction bear a brand or stated organizational
5 affiliation.
6 (2) However, curricula, programs of instruction, or any of the
7 instructional materials used as part of the curricula or programs of
8 instruction used to educate students on firearm safety may bear a brand
9 issued by the State of Arkansas or any of its departments, agencies, or
10 divisions.
11 (f) The division shall use the following preferred methods of
12 instruction in determining the curriculum or program of instruction used to
13 educate students on firearm safety:
14 (1) The viewing of a video produced by the commission or a
15 commission-approved source;
16 (2) The review of online resources and materials; and
17 (3)(A) An alternative curriculum, which may include an off-
18 campus, commission-approved firearm safety course.
19 (B)(i) An off-campus, commission-approved firearm safety
20 course may be provided in conjunction with a live-fire exercise or sporting
21 event.
22 (ii) If an off-campus, commission-approved firearm
23 safety course is provided in conjunction with a live-fire exercise or
24 sporting event, the provider of the off-campus, commission-approved firearm
25 safety course and the public school district or open-enrollment public
26 charter school in which the participating student is enrolled shall obtain
27 prior written approval from the participating student's parent, legal
28 guardian, or person standing in loco parentis to the participating student.
29 (g) As used in this section, "firearm" means the same as defined in �
30 5-1-102.
31
32 /s/R. Scott Richardson
33
34
35
3 02-17-2025 09:09:53 TNL036Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.