By: Guillen, Cain, Harris of Anderson,	H.B. No. 2976
	Hefner, Manuel, et al.

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to an elective course on firearms safety for public high
	school students and the designation of August as Firearm Safety
	Awareness Month.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
	amended by adding Section 28.0121 to read as follows:
	Sec. 28.0121.  FIREARMS SAFETY ELECTIVE COURSE.  (a)  A
	school district or open-enrollment charter school that offers a
	high school program may offer to students in high school an elective
	course on firearms safety based on the curriculum guidelines
	developed under Subsection (c). The course must meet the
	requirements for a one-half elective credit under Section 28.025.
	(b)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
	not allow a student to enroll in an elective course offered by the
	district or school under Subsection (a) unless the district or
	school first obtains the written consent of the parent or person
	standing in parental relation to the student.
	(c)  The State Board of Education shall develop curriculum
	guidelines for the elective course on firearms safety. The
	curriculum guidelines must:
	(1)  focus on accident prevention;
	(2)  promote the safety and protection of students;
	(3)  emphasize how students should respond when
	encountering a firearm; and
	(4)  include the information contained in the firearms
	safety portion of a hunter education course under Section 62.014,
	Parks and Wildlife Code.
	(d)  The State Board of Education shall develop a virtual
	course on firearms safety that meets the requirements of an
	elective course under Subsection (a) for a school district or
	open-enrollment charter school to offer to high school students.
	(e)  The State Board of Education shall make the virtual
	course on firearms safety developed under Subsection (d) available
	to:
	(1)  the agency;
	(2)  the Parks and Wildlife Department; and
	(3)  the Department of Public Safety.
	(f)  Each entity described by Subsection (e) shall make the
	virtual course on firearms safety available to the public free of
	charge through the entity's Internet website.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 662, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 662.116 to read as follows:
	Sec. 662.116.  FIREARM SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH. (a) August
	is Firearm Safety Awareness Month to increase awareness of firearm
	safety and encourage community residents and leaders to discuss the
	safe and responsible ownership, storage, and use of firearms for
	recreational and defensive purposes and to promote voluntary and
	collaborative methods that improve public safety.
	(b)  Firearm Safety Awareness Month may be regularly
	observed through appropriate activities and programs in
	communities to increase awareness of and instruction on the
	responsible use of firearms. A firearms accident prevention
	program may include animated videos, activity books, and other
	instructional materials for community residents of all ages.
	SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
	of this Act, the State Board of Education shall:
	(1)  develop the curriculum guidelines required under
	Section 28.0121(c), Education Code, as added by this Act; and
	(2)  develop the virtual course on firearms safety
	required under Section 28.0121(d), Education Code, as added by this
	Act.
	SECTION 4.  Section 28.0121, Education Code, as added by
	this Act, applies beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.