HBA-DMH C.S.H.B. 2656 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2656
By: King, Phil
Public Safety
4/12/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

With firearms present in many American households, young children should be
aware of basic gun safety to help prevent accidents.  Young children must
be taught that guns are not toys and must know what to do should they find
a gun.  A program is available through the National Rifle Association for
use in classrooms, youth programs, summer camps, and day care centers
nationwide.  The Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program that uses the message "Stop!
Don't Touch. Leave the Area. Tell an Adult." has reached more than 12
million children since 1988.  C.S.H.B. 2656 requires a peace officer who is
a visiting school resource officer in a public elementary school to offer
to provide firearm accident prevention information to students and to use
the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program's safety message. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2656 amends the Occupations Code to require a peace officer who is
a visiting school resource officer in a public elementary school to offer
to provide, at least once each school year, instruction to students in a
firearms accident prevention program, as determined by the school district.
The bill establishes a safety message for a firearms accident prevention
program, which must include the safety message, "Stop! Don't Touch. Leave
the Area. Tell an Adult.", and may include instructional materials from the
National Rifle Association Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program, including animated
videos and activity books. The bill provides that a peace officer who is a
visiting school resource officer in a public school must be a licensed
peace officer.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the
2001-2002 school year. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2656 differs from the original bill by including a definition of
"school resource officer" and requiring the officer to offer to provide,
rather than to provide, instruction to students in a firearms accident
prevention program.  The substitute also requires the officer to offer to
provide such instruction at least once each school year.