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Arizona Republicans Push School Gun-Safety Classes and Carry Changes Toward House Vote

Debate centers on student lessons versus adult safe-storage responsibilities.

Overview

  • SB 1424 would require every district and charter school to deliver annual, age-appropriate firearm-safety instruction for all K–12 students, with no guns or ammunition in classrooms.
  • HB 2076 would create the Save Our Children Safety Program to train school employees in crisis preparedness and offer optional certification for designated staff to carry firearms on campus.
  • SB 1012 would allow concealed-carry permit holders to bring firearms into restaurants and certain businesses, excluding bars and nightclubs, according to the sponsor.
  • Supporters describe classroom guidance as simple steps — do not touch, leave the area, tell an adult — and compare it to pool and fire safety while citing CDC-based findings that firearms have been the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens since 2020.
  • Opponents contend the approach shifts responsibility from adults to children and press for safe-storage laws, as the package still requires a full House vote before it could reach Gov. Katie Hobbs.