Legislative Analysis
Phone: (517) 373-8080
REQUIRE DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION ON SAFE
http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
STORAGE OF FIREARMS THROUGH SCHOOLS
Analysis available at
House Bill 5450 (H-3) as reported from committee http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Sponsor: Rep. Sharon MacDonell
House Bill 5451 (H-2) as reported from committee
Sponsor: Rep. Julie Brixie
Committee: Education
Complete to 11-13-24
SUMMARY:
House Bills 5450 and 5451 would amend the Revised School Code by adding new sections
that would require public schools in Michigan to distribute certain information on safe storage
of firearms to students.
House Bill 5450 would require the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to
develop and provide to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), no later than July 1,
2025, an informational notice containing information and best practices regarding the storage
of firearms. The notice would then have to be provided by MDE to all schools in Michigan,
both public and nonpublic.
The notice would have to be made available in English, Spanish, and Arabic, and would have
to include at least all of the following:
• An overview of the requirements under section 9 of 1927 PA 372. 1
• Answers to frequently asked questions about firearm storage requirements.
• Guidance on where a parent or legal guardian can obtain gun locks and gun safes,
including free or low-cost options.
Finally, beginning July 1, 2026, and by every following July 1, DHHS would have to provide
MDE an annual update of the notice to account for any changes in law.
Proposed MCL 380.1313a
House Bill 5451 would require that, starting October 1, 2025, and annually on each following
October 1, the school board or board of directors of each public school, or the governing body
of a nonpublic school, must ensure that the informational notice created under HB 5450 is
distributed, electronically or by mail, to the parents or legal guardians of each student enrolled
in each school under their jurisdiction.
By October 1, 2025, the English, Spanish, and Arabic versions of the informational notice
developed under HB 5450 would have to be posted on MDE’s website. Also starting on that
1
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-28-429 This section, which prescribes certain storage
requirements for firearms when minors are, or are likely to be, present on the premises, was added by 2023 PA 17:
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-SB-0079.
House Fiscal Agency Page 1 of 3
date, the board of a school district or intermediate school district (ISD), the board of directors
of a public school academy (PSA), or the governing body of a nonpublic school, as applicable,
would have to post links to MDE’s webpage that contains the informational notice on their
own respective websites.
Finally, House Bill 5451 would make MDE, DHHS, a school district, an ISD, a PSA, a
nonpublic school, and any officers, board members, or employees of those institutions immune
from civil liability, both personally and professionally, for any damages allegedly caused by,
arising out of, or relating to the informational notice developed under House Bill 5140.
House Bill 5451 is tie-barred to HB 5450, which means that it could not take effect unless HB
5450 is enacted into law.
Proposed MCL 380.1313b
FISCAL IMPACT:
House Bill 5450 would have a likely minimal fiscal impact on the state and no fiscal impact
on local school districts, ISDs, and PSAs.
The bill would minimally increase state expenditures for DHHS and MDE. Any fiscal impact
would be dependent on the cost of the development of an informational notice in English,
Spanish, and Arabic on the safe storage of firearms and current firearm safety laws and the cost
of distributing this information to districts, ISDs, PSAs, and nonpublic schools.
House Bill 5451 could have a minimal fiscal impact on the state and would create
indeterminate costs for districts, ISDs, and PSAs.
The bill could minimally increase state expenditures for MDE through the requirement to post
the informational notice on the department's website. This cost would likely be absorbed using
existing staff time.
The bill would create indeterminate costs for districts, ISDs, and PSAs through the
requirements to annually distribute the informational notice either electronically or by mail to
parents or legal guardians of enrolled students and post links to the notice on the department
website. The cost for districts to distribute by mail would be higher than to distribute
electronically.
BRIEF DISCUSSION:
Supporters of increased restrictions on the purchase and use of firearms cite, in support of
their position, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CSC) indicating
that gun-related deaths are now the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 19.2
According to sponsor testimony on HB 5450, an estimated 150,000 Michigan children live
in homes that have an unsecured firearm, a number that supporters hope will be decreased
by the passage of 2023 PA 17, which mandates certain storage requirements for firearms
2
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/fastfact.html
House Fiscal Agency HBs 5450 and 5451 as reported Page 2 of 3
if a minor is present in the home. The sponsors describe the bills’ intent as making sure
that students’ parents and guardians are aware of the new safe storage law, in the hope of
preventing future firearm tragedies. Nationally, more than 70% of school shootings involve
a firearm that is owned by a parent or close family member and taken by the shooter. 3
POSITIONS:
Representatives of the following entities testified in support of the bills:
• Department of Education (4-23-24)
• Everytown for Gun Safety (4-23-24)
• Okemos Public Schools (5-14-24)
The following entities indicated support for the bills:
• American Association of University Women of Michigan (4-23-24)
• Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools (4-23-24)
• Michigan Association of School Boards (4-23-24)
• Michigan Catholic Conference (4-23-24)
• Michigan Education Association (5-14-24)
• Michigan Parent Teacher Association (4-23-24)
The Department of Health and Human Services indicated support for HB 5450 with changes.
(5-14-24)
Legislative Analyst: Josh Roesner
Fiscal Analysts: Sydney Brown
Noel Benson
Jacqueline Mullen
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their
deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
3
https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/most-school-shooters-get-guns-home-and-more-weapons-are-there-
pandemic
House Fiscal Agency HBs 5450 and 5451 as reported Page 3 of 3
Statutes affected: Substitute (H-2): 380.1, 380.1852
House Introduced Bill: 380.1, 380.1852
As Passed by the House: 380.1, 380.1852