FIREARM STORAGE NOTICE; SCHOOLS H.B. 5450 (H-3) & 5451 (H-2):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bill 5450 (Substitute H-3 as reported without amendment)
House Bill 5451 (Substitute H-2 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Sharon MacDonell (H.B. 5450)
Representative Julie Brixie (H.B. 5451)
CONTENT
House Bill 5450 (H-3) would amend the Revised School Code to require the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to develop an informational notice containing information and best practices regarding the storage of firearms by June 1, 2025. The DHHS would have to provide the notice to the Department of Education (MDE) and all public schools and nonpublic schools.
House Bill 5451 (H-2) would amend the Revised School Code to require a school district or intermediate school district (ISD), a public school academy (PSA), and a nonpublic school to distribute the informational notice required by House Bill 5450 (H-3) to the parent or legal guardian of each student enrolled in the school district, ISD, PSA, or nonpublic school every October 1, beginning October 1, 2025.
House Bill 5451 is tie-barred to House Bill 5450.
Proposed MCL 380.1313a (H.B. 5450)
Proposed MCL 380.1313b (H.B. 5451)
BRIEF RATIONALE
In Michigan, the leading cause of death among individuals under the age of 19 is access to firearms.[1] To address the threat firearms pose to children, the Legislature enacted Public Act 17 of 2023, which requires an individual who knows that a minor is likely to be present on the premises where the individual stores or leaves a firearm unattended to store the firearm in a locked box or with a locking device. As these requirements are relatively new, some believe gunowners may be unaware of them. Accordingly, it has been suggested that the DHHS partner with the MDE to further distribute information about the new gun storage laws.
Legislative Analyst: Abby Schneider
FISCAL IMPACT
House Bill 5450 (H-3)
The bill would have an indeterminate, likely minimal, negative fiscal impact on the DHHS resulting from increased administrative costs to develop and provide an informational notice on best practices regarding the storage of firearms in English, Spanish, and Arabic.
The bill would have a minimal fiscal impact on the MDE. The costs would be for the development of an informational notice in English, Spanish, and Arabic on the safe storage of firearms and current firearm safety laws and the distribution of the information to districts, ISDs, PSAs, and nonpublic schools. Costs should be minimal and within current appropriations.
House Bill 5051 (H-2)
The bill would have a minimal fiscal impact on the MDE. The cost would be part of regular updating and posting to the MDE's webpage, which would be covered with current appropriations.
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State and would have a negative fiscal impact on districts, ISDs, and PSAs. The cost to districts, ISDs, and PSAs is unknown, but would likely be minimal and covered within existing appropriations. Districts, ISDs, and PSAs would have a choice to distribute the notice electronically or through physical mail. If they chose to distribute the notice through physical mail, the cost would be greater than if they distributed the notice electronically.
Date Completed: 12-11-24 Fiscal Analyst: Ellyn Ackerman
Ryan Bergan
Cory Savino, PhD
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Wonder "About Underlying Cause of Death, 1999-2020", 2024.