HB 939

            
2020 SESSION

20103088D

HOUSE BILL NO. 939


Offered January 8, 2020


Prefiled January 7, 2020

A BILL to amend and reenact � 22.1-204.1 of the Code of 
 Virginia, relating to public schools; firearm safety education program.
----------

Patron-- Webert

----------

Referred to Committee on Education

----------
 
 
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
 
 
1. That � 22.1-204.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and 
 reenacted as follows:
 
 
� 22.1-204.1. Firearm safety education program.
 
 
Local school boards may provide firearm safety education 
 programs for students in the elementary school grades 
 and shall provide firearm safety education programs for students in high school 
 grades. To assist local 
 school boards electing to provide firearm safety education programs, the The Board 
 of Education shall, in consultation 
 with the Department of State Police, establish curriculum 
 guidelines for a standardized program of firearm safety education for the elementary school grades 
 to promote the protection and safety of children students enrolled in the 
 public schools. The curriculum guidelines shall incorporate, among other principles 
 of firearm safety, accident prevention and the rules upon which the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe GunSafe 
 Program offered by the National Rifle Association is based. 
 Local school boards electing to provide firearm Firearm 
 safety education shall 
 offer instruction pursuant to shall be consistent with the 
 Boards curriculum guidelines and shall integrate firearm safety education into appropriate subject areas, if feasible, to ensure 
 that every elementary grade student completes the course of study in firearm safety 
 education any family life 
 education program offered 
 by the school board. For 
 any grade or school division for which a family life education program is not 
 offered, such instruction 
 shall be integrated into other subject 
 areas or provided as a separate program and parents shall 
 have the opportunity to opt their child out of participation in 
 the firearm safety education program. 
 Such firearm safety education program 
 shall be taught by a school resource officer or 
 other law-enforcement officer 
 or by a 
 United States Armed Forces instructor. No firearms shall 
 be used in such firearm safety 
 education program.