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HB 5451

Education: school districts; information regarding the safe storage of firearms; require districts to provide to parents and legal guardians. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1313b.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Felicia Brabec and 11 co-sponsors

Michigan schools must annually distribute a DHHS firearm safe-storage notice to parents, with MDE posting English, Spanish and Arabic versions online and links to resources.

assigned PA 258'24
#education:safety #education:schooldistricts #weapons:firearms
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 5451

Summary — HB 5451 (PA 258 of 2024): School distribution of firearm safe‑storage information

Status: Enacted (Public Act 258 of 2024). Approved by Governor Jan 22, 2025; effective April 2, 2025. (Tie‑barred to HB 5450, which establishes the informational notice.)

Main purpose

Require Michigan schools to distribute to parents/legal guardians an informational notice about safe storage of firearms developed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and provided to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). The intent is to increase awareness of safe‑storage requirements and available resources to reduce child access to unsecured firearms.

Key provisions

  • Adds section 1313b to the Revised School Code (MCL 380).
  • Annual distribution: Beginning October 1, 2025, and each October 1 thereafter, the board of a school district or intermediate school district (ISD), the board of a public school academy (PSA), or the governing body of a nonpublic school must distribute the DHHS informational notice to the parent or legal guardian of every enrolled student. Distribution may be electronic or by mail.
  • Web posting: By October 1, 2025, MDE must post English, Spanish, and Arabic versions of the notice on its website. School/academy/nonpublic school websites must link to the MDE webpage(s) containing the notice by that same date.
  • Immunity: MDE, DHHS, school districts, ISDs, PSAs, nonpublic schools, and their officers/employees are granted civil liability immunity (personal and professional) for damages allegedly caused by, arising out of, or relating to the informational notice.
  • Dependence on HB 5450: HB 5451 does not take effect unless HB 5450 (which directs DHHS to develop the notice and specifies its content and update schedule) is enacted.

Content of the informational notice (from HB 5450)

DHHS’s notice must include (at minimum):
- An overview of safe‑storage requirements under the handgun licensure Act (section added by 2023 PA 17 / MCL 28.429).
- Frequently asked questions about firearm storage requirements.
- Guidance on where parents/guardians can obtain gun locks and safes, including free or low‑cost options.
DHHS is required to provide the initial notice to MDE by mid‑2025 (committee reports reference June or July 1, 2025) and to update it annually thereafter (reports cite annual updates by July 1 beginning 2026).

Who is affected

  • Primary: Parents and legal guardians of students in public school districts, ISDs, PSAs, and nonpublic schools.
  • Implementation: DHHS (create/update notice), MDE (post and distribute), and local school governing bodies (annual distribution and website linking).
  • Secondary: State and local education officials and staff (administration), and the public seeking information on safe storage resources.

Timeline & fiscal impact

  • Key dates: Act effective April 2, 2025; MDE must post notice by Oct 1, 2025; the first required school distribution is Oct 1, 2025.
  • Fiscal effects: Nonpartisan analyses estimate a likely minimal increase in state administrative costs for DHHS and MDE (translation, development, posting). Local districts/ISDs/PSAs may incur minimal, indeterminate costs for annual distribution (higher if mailed vs. electronic); costs are expected to be small and generally absorbed within existing appropriations.

Other notes

  • HB 5451 is legally tied to HB 5450; the distribution requirement relies on the DHHS notice that HB 5450 requires.
  • The law focuses on information dissemination and does not itself create new criminal penalties or enforcement mechanisms beyond the notice requirement.

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

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