Arkansas Lawmakers To Discuss Act 229 Firearm Safety Education Requirements For Public Schools Saturday

By: James Leigh | The Hot Springs Sentinel-Record | August 21, 2025

A new law requiring firearm safety to be taught in public schools is the topic of a panel discussion Saturday at 11 a.m. at Oaklawn Event Center.

The panel will consist of state Senators Dan Sullivan, R-District 20, Gary Stubblefield, R-District 26, and Matt McKee, R-District 6, Rep. Bruce Cozart, R-District 91, and U.S. Concealed Carry Association’s Beth Alcazar, and they will discuss Act 229, from its provisions to implementation and oversight.

“We want to open up that conversation and have a discussion that really focuses and highlights on the Second Amendment, especially as it is going to apply to children, to schools, to families,” Alcazar said.

“Obviously, this is brought about because of Act 229, and the importance of how the Firearm Safety Education Act can bring this essential foundational information into the schools and hopefully reach children early, reach them often and provide that important foundation for safety and responsibility moving forward.”

Act 229 was signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on March 4, and it requires that all public schools and public charter schools provide “age-appropriate and grade-appropriate instruction on firearm safety.” The law mandates the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to create and approve these courses.

“It’s a real safety need,” Alcazar said. “Kids may encounter these unsecured firearms, and we know education can help prevent accidents and tragedies. There are other formulas and other methodologies out there, including things like ‘stop, drop and roll’ – practical knowledge — or ‘stranger danger,’ things like that kids can easily understand and remember and take with them out and about in the real world as they encounter different situations.”

Firearms should not be “demonized or treated like a taboo topic,” especially when it comes to teaching children safety, Alcazar said.

“Think about if there are prescription medications in the home. Now think about if there’s a swimming pool, if there are power tools, even if there’s a fireplace, a stairwell. When we’re thinking about accident prevention as a whole, we can’t ignore the topics that are difficult or the conversations that maybe we feel unsure about,” she said.

“Firearms, unfortunately, is one of those topics that tends to get pushed aside, ignored, even intentionally, because people feel that that tool is dangerous. But if you put the knowledge in the hands of these youngsters growing up, and you build that foundation of safety and responsibility, I think we’re going to have a much better scenario across the board,” Alcazar said.

“We’re going to have children who have grown up with these kinds of simple, practical, functional tools. And that’s why it’s so significant we provide this education, I think, as quickly as often and as young as possible.”

Alcazar said it is important to normalize firearm safety, not just normalizing having firearms around.

“Our curriculum specifically starts with accident prevention and safety basics,” she said. “So we don’t even really talk about firearms in this one lesson. We’re talking about being safe and cautious in any environment. They do also learn rules or just procedures, if they should encounter a firearm, just like they would with any kind of potentially dangerous item.”

She noted that “a lot of people don’t know what happens at the shooting range or what that experience might be like. They don’t even have to set foot on that shooting range to kind of understand (that) just like there are rules at the swimming pool, when you go out to that public place, that public lake or that park, there are also rules and etiquette that would be expected, that would be norms.”

The event, which is being put on by the USCCA For Saving Lives Action Fund, is free, but registration is required due to limited spots. To register, visit: https://bit.ly/4mD3dn6

Read the fully story here: https://www.hotsr.com/news/2025/aug/21/arkansas-lawmakers-to-discuss-act-229-firearm/

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