Firearm Safety Pilot Program

2025-2026 Bill 5353: Firearm Safety Pilot Program - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5353
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Haddon, Davis, Reese, C. Mitchell, Grant, Atkinson, Gibson, Hewitt, Wetmore, Wickensimer, Beach, Lastinger, Edgerton, Cobb-Hunter, Crawford, Pope, Cox, Hager, Rankin, Luck, Govan, Kilmartin, Herbkersman, Yow, W. Newton, Gilliam, Bradley, Collins, Ford, Burns, Bowers, Brittain, M.M. Smith, Scott, Clyburn, D. Mitchell, Vaughan, J.L. Johnson, Calhoon, Huff, Brewer, Ligon, Guest, Chumley, Schuessler, Howard, Williams, Robbins, Magnuson, Bernstein, Garvin, Bauer, Ballentine, Forrest, Hartz, Hayes, Kirby, B. Newton, Sanders, Weeks, Willis and Wooten
Document Path: LC-0565SA26.docx
Introduced in the House on March 11, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Education and Public Works
Summary: Firearm Safety Pilot Program
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

3/11/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 20
)

3/11/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Education and Public Works
(
House Journal-page 20
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
03/11/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
59-29-250
SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL ESTABLISH A
FIREARM SAFETY PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
A
rticle 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:

S
ection
59-29-250
.
(
A) The Department of
Education, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources, shall
determine the earliest grade in which it is appropriate for students to begin
receiving instruction on firearm safety. In determining the earliest
appropriate grade for instruction on firearm safety, the agencies shall study
all relevant data and risk factors, including the earliest age at which
incidents of injury involving firearms are reported and the earliest age at
which children are susceptible to harm from found firearms.

(
B)
Beginning with the 2027-2028 School Year, the Department of Education shall
establish a firearm safety program for which districts or charter schools may
elect to apply. Priority for involvement in the program must be based on the
counties with the highest rate of childhood injury or death from firearms. The
department may limit the number of districts accepted in the program. The
instruction must begin with the earliest appropriate grade, as determined by
the agencies under subsection (A), and must continue in each subsequent grade
through grade twelve.

(
C)
The instruction required under subsection (B) must:

(
1)
teach students:

(
a)
safe storage of firearms;

(
b)
school safety relating to firearms;

(
c)
how to avoid injury if the student finds a firearm;

(
d)
to never touch a found firearm; and

(
e)
to immediately notify an adult of the location of a found firearm;

(
2)
be viewpoint neutral on political topics, such as gun rights, gun violence, and
the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution; and

(
3)
not include the use or presence of live ammunition, live fire, or live
firearms.

(
D)
The Department of Natural Resources, in consultation with the Department of
Education, shall develop a curriculum or program of instruction on firearm
safety that meets the requirements of this section and that districts are
required to implement for purposes of providing the instruction required under
subsection (B). The agencies may not use a curriculum or program of instruction
if the curriculum, program of instruction, or any of the instructional materials
used as part of the curriculum or program of instruction bear a brand or
organizational affiliation other than the logos of the Department of Education
and the Department of Natural Resources.

(
E)
The instruction required under subsection (B) may be provided in a classroom
setting, through the viewing of a video, or through the review of online
resources or materials, as determined by the Department of Education.

(
F)
Each district accepted into the program shall determine how best to incorporate
the instruction required under subsection (B) into the school year.

S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on March 11, 2026 at 10:43 AM