Protect Every Preschooler Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Angie Craig and 7 co-sponsors

Expands federal Gun Free School Zones to also prohibit firearms in early childhood education programs and preschools, not just K-12 schools.

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4134)

Summary of HR 9205 — Protect Every Preschooler Act of 2026

Purpose and intent

The bill aims to expand the Gun Free School Zones Act to cover additional education settings specific to young children.

Title of the bill: Protect Every Preschooler Act of 2026.

Introduced in the 119th Congress and referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Sponsor and multiple co-sponsors listed.

Key provisions and changes

Expansion of the prohibited locations under the Gun Free School Zones Act (18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(27)):

The bill modifies the statutory text to broaden the definition of a “school” to include:
(A) An ordinary school, as currently defined.
(B) An early childhood education program (as defined in section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. § 1003).
(C) A preschool (defined by the term “eligible preschool program” in section 428K(g) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. § 1078–11(g)).

In practical terms, this expands the set of protected environments where firearms are prohibited under federal law to specifically include preschool and early childhood education programs, in addition to traditional K-12 schools.

Who and what is affected

Affects federal firearms regulations and enforcement related to school zones.

Extends federal protection against firearms in:

Traditional K-12 schools, and
Early childhood education programs, including preschool programs and eligible preschools as defined by federal education statutes.

Potentially broadens the jurisdiction of gun-free protections to facilities that serve very young children and early learning settings.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction date: June 8, 2026.

Action history:

June 8, 2026: Introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
June 8, 2026: Bill information and text publicly available.
June 23, 2026: Sponsor delivered introductory remarks on the measure.

Next steps typical for this type of bill would include committee consideration, potential amendments, floor debate, and votes in the House and Senate, followed by possible conference negotiations and presidential action. As of the provided record, the bill is in the early stages of the legislative process.

Additional context

The main substantive change is a legal redefinition to explicitly incorporate early childhood education programs and preschools into the Gun Free School Zones framework.

The bill preserves the overarching objective of restricting firearms in protected school zones but clarifies and broadens the scope to include preschool-related settings.