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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
firearm safety instruction; public schools
Purpose
Requires, beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, each school district and charter school to provide annual, age-appropriate firearm safety awareness instruction (firearm instruction) to students in kindergarten programs and each of grades 1 through 12 as outlined. Requires the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to coordinate with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) to develop firearm safety and awareness instructional materials and make the materials available to school districts and charter schools.
Background
The AZGFD may provide voluntary training in the safe handling and use of bows or firearms and safe hunting practices when a common school or high school requests the training. The AZGFD prescribes the course of study, approves instruction materials, certifies instructors for the training programs conducted by private organizations or public agencies and issues certificates of completion (A.R.S. §§ 15-713 and 15-714).
In addition to the voluntary bow and firearm training, a school district or charter school may offer a one-credit elective course in firearms marksmanship, designated as the Arizona Gun Safety Program course (course). The course must be developed by the AZGFD, DPS and private firearms organizations and must include: 1) instruction on firearms safety rules, basic operation and history; 2) instruction on the role of firearms in preserving peace and freedom and the constitutional roots of the right to keep and bear arms; 3) instruction on the use of clay targets; and 4) practice time at a shooting range. A pupil must demonstrate competence with a firearm by safely discharging a firearm at one or more targets. A person currently certified as a firearms safety instructor by the AZGFD, the National Rifle Association, a law enforcement agency, the U.S. military, a federal agency, the Reserve Officer Training Corps, the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps or the Civilian Marksmanship Program may teach the course (A.R.S. § 15-714.01).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires each school district and charter school, beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, to provide annual, age-appropriate firearm instruction to students in kindergarten programs and grades 1 through 12.
2. Requires the firearm instruction to:
a) be limited to accident prevention and personal safety awareness;
b) be objective and not either promote or discourage firearm ownership or advocate for or against any political position, public policy or legislative proposal; and
c) include at least one of the following:
i. instruction on the importance of safe firearm storage in homes and motor vehicles;
ii. guidance on appropriate actions if a student encounters a firearm, including not touching the firearm, leaving the immediate area and immediately notifying a parent, teacher or other trusted adult; or
iii. age-appropriate discussion of risks associated with unsafe handling or unauthorized access to firearms.
3. Prohibits the firearm instruction from including:
a) a live firearm;
b) ammunition or simulated ammunition;
c) a demonstration that involves handling, operating, loading, unloading or firing a firearm;
d) instruction that is intended to train students in the use of firearms; and
e) a moral judgement regarding lawful firearm possession.
4. Allows a school district or charter school to provide the firearm instruction through:
a) classroom-based instruction;
b) an assembly presentation;
c) video instruction or digital instructional materials that are approved by ADE; or
d) instruction that is incorporated into the school district's or charter school's existing health or safety curricula.
5. Requires ADE to coordinate with DPS and the AZGFD to develop firearm safety and awareness instructional materials and make the instructional materials available to school districts and charter schools.
6. Specifies that the firearm safety and awareness instructional materials must be:
a) developmentally appropriate for each grade band;
b) fact-based and neutral in presentation; and
c) designed to promote injury prevention and student safety.
7. Requires each school district and charter school to make all learning materials that are used to satisfy the firearm instruction requirements available for parental review, including through electronic access when practicable.
8. Determines that the firearm instructional requirements do not:
a) regulate the possession, ownership, transfer or lawful use of firearms;
b) authorize any person to collect student information related to firearms; or
c) conflict with any firearm preemption law in this state.
9. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 16, 2026
MH/KP/hk