FIREARM STORAGE NOTICE; SCHOOLS H.B. 5450 (H-3) & 5451 (H-2):
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 5450 (Substitute H-3 as passed by the House)
House Bill 5451 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)
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.
House Bill 5450 (H-3)
The bill would require DHHS to develop an informational notice containing information and best practices regarding the storage of firearms by June 1, 2025. The notice would have to include the following:
-- An overview of the safe storage requirements under the handgun licensure Act.[1]
-- Answers to frequently asked questions about firearm storage requirements.
-- Guidance on where a parent or legal guardian could obtain gun locks and gun safes, including free or low-cost options.
The DHHS would have to share this informational notice with the MDE and all public schools and nonpublic schools. The notice would have to be in English, Spanish, and Arabic.
Beginning July 1, 2026, the DHHS would have to update annually the informational notice to account for any change in the law. The updated notice would have to be provided to the MDE by July 1 of each year.
House Bill 5451 (H-2)
The bill would require the board of a school district or ISD, the board of directors of a PSA, or the governing body of a nonpublic school, as applicable, 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, beginning October 1, 2025, and every subsequent October 1. The notice could be distributed electronically or by mail.
By October 1, 2025, the MDE would have to post this informational notice on its website in English, Spanish, and Arabic. By that same date, the board of a school district or ISD, the board of directors of a PSA, and the governing body of a nonpublic school, as applicable, would have to post links to the MDE webpages containing this notice on the website of the school district, PSA, or nonpublic school, as applicable.
The MDE, the DHHS, a school district or ISD, a PSA, a nonpublic school, and any officers, board members, or employees of those institutions would be immune from civil liability, personally and professionally, for any damages allegedly caused by, arising out of, or relating to this informational notice.
Proposed MCL 380.1313a (H.B. 5450) Legislative Analyst: Abby Schneider
Proposed MCL 380.1313b (H.B. 5451)
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.
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.