An Act To Allow a School Administrative Unit To Implement a Firearm Safety Education Program for Elementary School Students
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0128
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: PICCHIOTTI, WHITTEMORE, CHACE, FOLEY, GUERIN, HILLIARD, POULIOT
Amends: 20-A MRSA §405, 20-A MRSA §4713

Legislative Document 
No. 128 
H.P. 86 
House of Representatives, January 22, 2015 
An Act To Allow a School Administrative Unit To Implement a 
Firearm Safety Education Program for Elementary School Students 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative PICCHIOTTI of Fairfield. 
Cosponsored by Senator WHITTEMORE of Somerset and 
Representatives: CHACE of Durham, FOLEY of Wells, GUERIN of Glenburn, HILLIARD of 
Belgrade, POULIOT of Augusta. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §405, sub-§3, ¶U, as amended by PL 2005, c. 611, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
U.  Review the organization of school administrative units statewide to identify 
current cooperative agreements between school administrative units.  Cooperative 
agreements may include, but are not limited to:  purchasing or contract agreements; 
administrative functions; shared staff and staff training; and technology initiatives.  
Based on the review, and in consultation with the department, the state board may 
recommend that school administrative units develop and carry out a plan for a 
cooperative agreement with one or more other school administrative units.  
"Cooperative agreement" may include agreements between school administrative 
units and career and technical education regions and career and technical education 
centers; and 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §405, sub-§3, ¶V, as amended by PL 2005, c. 611, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
V.  Study school administrative unit configuration statewide.; and 
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §405, sub-§3, ¶W is enacted to read: 
W.  Develop guidelines for a standardized program of firearm safety education for 
elementary students that a school board may adopt in accordance with section 4713.  
The guidelines must incorporate principles of firearm safety, including but not 
limited to principles related to accident prevention, principles developed by a national 
organization that provides a firearm safety program and principles developed by a 
national organization that provides a crime prevention training program. 
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA §4713 is enacted to read: 
§4713.  Optional firearm safety education program for elementary students 
A school board may adopt and implement a firearm safety education program for 
elementary students in conformance with guidelines developed by the state board 
pursuant to section 405, subsection 3, paragraph W.  A firearm safety education program 
adopted pursuant to this section must be integrated into appropriate subject areas in a 
manner that ensures that every elementary student in the school administrative unit 
completes the firearm safety education program. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the State Board of Education to develop guidelines for a 
standardized program of firearm safety education for elementary students and provides 
that school boards may adopt a firearm safety education program in conformance with the 
guidelines.