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SB 58

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2026 Regular Session Introduced by Barbara Favola and 2 co-sponsors

Michigan schools may offer a voluntary 10-hour model firearm-safety course for grades 6–12, taught by certified instructors, with safe handling and no live firearms on campus.

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Bill Summary · SB 58

SB 58 — Firearm safety instruction (adds MCL 380.1163a)

Status: Referred to Committee on Education
Subject: Education curriculum; firearm safety instruction
Action: Adds section 1163a to the Revised School Code (1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1–380.1852)

Main purpose

Require the Michigan Department of Education (in consultation with DNR) to adopt a model firearm-safety instructional program for students in grades 6–12 and authorize local school boards to offer that instruction as an optional class or as part of existing courses.

Key provisions

  • Model curriculum: By June 1, 2025 the Department, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), must adopt and make available a model firearm-safety program for grades 6–12.
  • Minimum duration: Instruction must be at least 10 hours.
  • Content and standard: Must comply with the DNR “safe firearm handling” course requirements (see MCL 324.43543) and include topics such as:
    • Proper firearm usage and handling
    • Safe cleaning and maintenance
    • Types of firearms
    • Safe hunting practices
    • Proper storage of firearms and ammunition
  • Instructor qualification: Must be taught by an individual certified as a hunter-education instructor by the DNR.
  • No live firearms/ammunition on campus: Firearms or ammunition may not be brought into a school building as part of the instruction.
  • Local option: School boards (districts, ISDs, public school academies) may offer the instruction as an optional extracurricular class for any pupil in grades 6–12 or incorporate it into an existing course framed as recreational/self‑expression.
  • Parental/pupil opt-out: A pupil must be excused without penalty or loss of academic credit upon request by the pupil or the pupil’s parent/legal guardian.
  • Hunting-license equivalency: A pupil who completes the program is considered to have completed the hunter safety course required to obtain a hunting license (per MCL 324.43520).

Who is affected

  • Students in grades 6–12 (eligibility to participate; program is optional)
  • Local school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies (may adopt/offer the program)
  • Michigan Department of Education and DNR (responsible for curriculum development/consultation and instructor certification)
  • Parents and guardians (retain opt-out rights)
  • Certified hunter-education instructors (may be engaged to deliver courses)

Implementation & timeline

  • Department must adopt and publish the model program by June 1, 2025.
  • Local boards may choose whether to offer the program; participating pupils may be excused on request.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Voluntary program limits statewide fiscal mandate; local districts will decide whether to offer courses and may incur modest costs (instructor contracts, scheduling, materials).
  • Using DNR-certified instructors and prohibiting firearms in schools focuses the program on safety, theory, and approved practices rather than hands-on firing.
  • Completion provides students a pathway to meet state hunter-education licensing requirements, potentially increasing accessibility to hunting safety credentials.

(Prepared objectively from the bill text adding MCL 380.1163a.)

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

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