Education

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's impact on student learning and school operations remains uncertain, though this is speculative and not directly supported by the official source material.

Parental Notification for Firearm Safety Education

This bill requires schools to notify parents about firearm safety education and allows them to opt their children out of this instruction.

What This Bill Does

• Requires local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to inform parents or legal guardians at least 30 days before any firearm safety instruction is given.
• Allows parents or students aged 18 or older to choose not to have their child receive firearm safety education by writing a note to the school principal.
• Ensures that students who opt out of firearm safety education are not penalized in their grades.
• Clarifies that school social workers can provide preventative and developmental counseling services without needing parental consent.

Who It Names or Affects

• Parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in LEAs or public charter schools
• Students who may receive firearm safety instruction
• School principals, counselors, psychologists, and social workers

Terms To Know

LEA (Local Education Agency)

An organization responsible for providing public education in a specific area.

Parental consent

Permission given by a parent or legal guardian to allow their child to participate in certain activities or receive services.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if parents do not respond to the notification.
• It is unclear how schools will implement the opt-out process for firearm safety education.

Official Summary Text

Present law requires each local education agency ("LEA") and public charter school in this state to annually provide students with age and grade appropriate instruction on firearm safety. This bill requires the LEA or public charter school to notify the
parent or legal guardian of each student enrolled in the LEA or public charter school of such instruction, at least 30 days before any instruction is provided. Such a notification must inform the parent or legal guardian that the LEA or public charter s
ch
ool will provide instruction on firearm safety to students and explain that the parent or legal guardian may opt their student out of receiving the instruction.

This bill authorizes the parent or legal guardian of a student, or the student if the student is at least 18, to opt the student out of receiving any instruction on firearm safety by providing written notice to the principal of the school at which the st
udent is enrolled. Any such student who is opted out of receiving instruction on firearm safety is excused from receiving the instruction and must not be penalized for grading purposes by the LEA or public charter school.

PREVENTATIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL COUNSELING

Present law generally prohibits a person from knowingly rendering counseling services to a minor without first obtaining the consent of a parent of the minor. However, this prohibition does not apply to a school counselor or school psychologist who prov
ides preventative and developmental counseling services to students in order to prepare them for their school responsibilities and their social and physical development. This bill clarifies that a school social worker may also provide such services and i
s
exempt from the parental consent requirement.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2384
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 2227
By Hakeem
HB2227
012000
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 6 and Title 63, relative to parental rights.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1016, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection (e):
(e)
(1) An LEA or public charter school shall, no later than thirty (30) days
before any instruction on firearm safety is provided by the LEA or public charter
school pursuant to this section, notify the parent or legal guardian of each
student enrolled in the LEA or public charter school that:
(A) The LEA or public charter school will provide instruction on
firearm safety to students in accordance with this section; and
(B) The parent or legal guardian may opt their student out of
receiving the instruction pursuant to this subsection (e).
(2) The parent or legal guardian of a student, or the student if the student
is at least eighteen (18) years of age, may opt the student out of receiving any
instruction on firearm safety pursuant to this section by providing written notice to
the principal of the school at which the student is enrolled.
(3) A student who is opted out of receiving instruction on firearm safety
pursuant to this subsection (e) is excused from receiving the instruction and must
not be penalized for grading purposes by the LEA or public charter school.

- 2 - 012000

SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-1-176(c)(9), is amended by
deleting the language "A school counselor or school psychologist" and substituting instead the
language "A school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker".
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.