House Bill 1402

AN ACT TO REQUIRE ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INCLUDE A MANDATORY COURSE IN HUNTER SAFETY AS A COMPONENT OF THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 7 AND 8; TO PRESCRIBE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE INSTRUCTOR; TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF OPERABLE WEAPONS AND LIVE AMMUNITION IN THE COURSE; TO AUTHORIZE PARENTS TO OPT OUT A STUDENT'S PARTICIPATION IN THE COURSE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, each local school board shall implement a mandatory hunter safety course as a component of the physical education curriculum required for students in Grades 7 and 8. The hunter safety course must be designed to expose students to firearm safety and to provide, at a minimum, instruction in:

(a) The capabilities of firearms;

(b) Respecting and handing firearms responsibly; and (c) Managing and controlling firearms.

(2) The hunter safety course must be taught by a well trained individual who is credentialed to provide instruction in the safe handling of firearms. The school district may arrange for any employee of the district or alternatively, an individual who is not employed by the district, to teach the hunter safety course so long as the person providing the instruction holds certification or another credential that evidences the person's training to provide firearms safety instruction. At all times during instruction in the hunter safety course, the physical education teacher must be present with the students and instructor.

(3) The hunter safety course required under this section may not be construed to authorize a student, school district employee, firearms safety instructor or any other person who is not otherwise permitted by law or school board policy to carry a weapon on school property to bring or possess a firearm on school property. In training students to handle firearms properly, operable weapons and live ammunition may not be used. Access by any person to the inoperable weapons and ammunition used in the course must be limited to those times that students are in class under the supervision of both the firearms safety instructor and physical education teacher.

(4) No less than one (1) week before the course required under this section is scheduled to be taught, the school district must provide written notice to the parents of those students. The notice must inform the parents that a hunter safety course, including training in the proper handling of firearms, will be taught to students as part of the physical education class. The notice must advise parents of the right, and the appropriate process, to review the materials to be used in the course. Upon the request of any parent, the school must excuse the parent's child from the hunter safety course without detriment to the student.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2019.