Senate Bill No. 6
(By Senators Bailey and Love)
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[Introduced February 14, 2001; referred to the Committee on
Education; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact section eight-a, article two, chapter
eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to mandating an
orientation program in firearms and firearms safety in the
public schools; and specifying course requirements.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section eight-a, article two, chapter eighteen of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
§18-2-8a. Course of study in firearms and firearm safety.
The state board of education may shall, with the advice of the state superintendent of schools and the director of the
division of natural resources, prescribe an orientation program
for use in grades seven through nine of the public schools of
this state in the safety of firearms. The orientation program
shall be offered over a two-week period during the school year
and shall deal with the protection of lives and property against
loss or damage as a result of improper use of firearms. The
orientation program shall also include instruction about the
proper use of firearms in hunting, sport competition and care and
safety of firearms in the home and may utilize materials prepared
by any national nonprofit membership organization which has as
one of its purposes the training of people in marksmanship and
the safe handling and use of firearms. The county superintendent
may shall arrange for such the orientation program in the safety
of firearms and its use in each school in the county.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the State Board
of Education to prescribe an orientation program in firearms and
firearms safety in the public schools of this state with the
advice of the Division of Natural Resources.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.