Utah lawmakers are considering a new bill that would make gun safety lessons mandatory for students.
House Bill 104, sponsored by Rep. Rex Shipp, is advancing after clearing the House Education Committee. The bill proposes mandatory firearm safety instruction for all public school students, with the goal of teaching kids to recognize dangerous situations and stay safe in a state where many homes have firearms.
At a committee hearing, Shipp shared a video example of what this safety instruction might look like.
“Here's a quick fact: It's estimated that over 42% of all households in Utah own guns," the video stated. "And that's why everyone needs to know the basic steps of gun safety. Don't worry. We're here to show you how to stay safe.”
The video ran through a handful of scenarios involving kids and guns. In one scenario, two kids find a gun in a garage while playing basketball. They decide to leave the unsupervised weapon and notify a parent.
“So in this case, our hero prevented an accident by stepping up and taking control of the situation," noted one of the narrators in the video. "No matter how or why this gun was left in the garage, our hero did the right thing by leaving the area, telling others to do the same, and informing an adult.”
Shipp explained the training sessions would likely feature videos — like the one he shared — or visits from law enforcement, and would last just 15 to 20 minutes. Lessons would be tailored by age, with younger students learning to avoid guns and inform adults, while older students would cover topics like safe storage and responsible handling. Shipp noted that parents would also have the option to opt their children out.
“Kids that have not grown up around firearms — whether it's hunting or shooting with their families — they need to know how simple it is to be safe with a firearm,” he said.
HB 104 would require the safety training to be done once a year from kindergarten through sixth grade, and then once during middle school, and once during high school.
Rep. Nicholeen Peck chimed in with her support for annual training sessions.
“There is something in teaching, especially with young children, called the ‘Rule of Seven,’" she shared. "Usually a person needs seven times before they actually fully process it. And those seven repetitions … when they're learning, are better if they're spaced out. So I love the idea of having it once a year when they're young.”
While Utah does have a statute in place allowing firearm safety to be taught in schools, HB 104 would make it mandatory.
The bill is now headed to the full House for a vote.
