88R9895 MEW-D
 
  By: Guillen, et al. H.B. No. 2976
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to an elective course on firearms safety for public high
  school students.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 28.0121 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.0121.  FIREARMS SAFETY ELECTIVE COURSE.  (a)  A
  school district or open-enrollment charter school that offers a
  high school program may offer to students in high school an elective
  course on firearms safety based on the curriculum guidelines
  developed under Subsection (b). The course must meet the
  requirements for a one-half elective credit under Section 28.025.
         (b)  The State Board of Education shall develop curriculum
  guidelines for the elective course on firearms safety. The
  curriculum guidelines must:
               (1)  focus on accident prevention;
               (2)  promote the safety and protection of students;
               (3)  emphasize how students should respond when
  encountering a firearm; and
               (4)  include the information contained in the firearms
  safety portion of a hunter education course under Section 62.014,
  Parks and Wildlife Code.
         (c)  The State Board of Education shall develop a virtual
  course on firearms safety that meets the requirements of an
  elective course under Subsection (a) for a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school to offer to high school students.
         (d)  The State Board of Education shall make the virtual
  course on firearms safety developed under Subsection (c) available
  to:
               (1)  the agency;
               (2)  the Parks and Wildlife Department; and
               (3)  the Department of Public Safety.
         (e)  Each entity described by Subsection (d) shall make the
  virtual course on firearms safety available to the public free of
  charge through the entity's Internet website. 
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the State Board of Education shall:
               (1)  develop the curriculum guidelines required under
  Section 28.0121(b), Education Code, as added by this Act; and
               (2)  develop the virtual course on firearms safety
  required under Section 28.0121(c), Education Code, as added by this
  Act.
         SECTION 3.  Section 28.0121, Education Code, as added by
  this Act, applies beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.