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HB 4285

Education: curriculum; firearm safety instruction; provide for. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1163a.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Greg Alexander and 45 co-sponsors

Creates an optional model firearms safety course for grades 6–12, aligned with hunter education; completion counts toward the Michigan hunter safety license, with opt-out allowed.

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND AGRICULTURE
#education:curriculum #weapons:firearms
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Bill Summary · HB 4285

Summary — HB 4285 (Model Firearms Safety Course)

Sponsor: Rep. Curt S. VanderWall
Filed: March 10, 2025 (introduced in House March 25, 2025)
Companion bill: SB 2334
Effective date (upon signature): September 1, 2025

Purpose

HB 4285 requires the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), to adopt and make available to schools a model curriculum for firearms safety instruction that schools may offer to students in grades 6–12. The program is intended to provide standardized, DNR-aligned hunter/firearm-safety education in schools and to allow successful student completion to satisfy Michigan’s hunter safety course requirement for a hunting license.

Key provisions

  • MDE, working with DNR, must adopt and make available a model firearm safety program to schools by not later than September 1, 2025.
  • The instruction must comply with the safe firearm handling course requirements set out in section 43543 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) and must be taught by an instructor certified by the DNR as a hunter education instructor.
  • Required topics include (at minimum): proper firearm usage and handling; safe cleaning and maintenance; different types of firearms; and safe hunting practices.
  • Firearms and ammunition are prohibited from being brought into a school building as part of the instruction.
  • School districts, intermediate school districts (ISDs), and public school academies (PSAs) may offer the instruction as an optional extracurricular class or integrate it into an existing course focused on recreational self‑expression and enjoyment.
  • Students may be excused from attending the instruction, without penalty or loss of credit, upon request by the student or the student’s parent/legal guardian.
  • Completion of the course will be treated as completion of the hunter safety course required to obtain a Michigan hunting license (per NREPA §43520).

Note: The bill’s originally introduced text specified a minimum course length of eight hours; the adopted substitute requires compliance with NREPA §43543 (the substitute text does not restate an explicit minimum number of hours).

Who is affected

  • Primary: pupils in grades 6–12 (participation optional).
  • Schools (districts, ISDs, PSAs): may choose to offer the program but are not required to.
  • DNR and MDE: responsible for adopting and making the model program available; DNR supplies certification standards for instructors.
  • Parents/legal guardians: may opt their child out without penalty.
  • Students seeking a hunting license: successful completion of the program counts toward the hunter safety requirement.

Fiscal impact

  • MDE: minimal costs (expected to adopt existing materials).
  • DNR: potential incremental costs to consult and assist MDE and to support program availability; anticipated to be absorbed within existing DNR resources.
  • Local school districts/PSAs/ISDs: no mandated fiscal impact because offering the course is optional.

Legislative status and timeline

  • Passed House (with substitute H‑1) and Senate; enrolled and sent to Governor.
  • Signed by the Governor: June 20, 2025.
  • Effective date: September 1, 2025.
  • MDE/DNR required to have the model program available by September 1, 2025.

Support and opposition (committee record)

  • Support: Numerous conservation, hunting, and sporting organizations (e.g., Michigan United Conservation Clubs, National Rifle Association – ILA, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation); DNR and MDE indicated support.
  • Opposition: Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network registered opposition.

Prepared to provide a short comparison to current NREPA §43543 or to list implementation considerations for schools (scheduling, instructor certification, parental notification) on request.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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