ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
misconduct involving weapons; school grounds
Purpose
Allows an adult to possess a loaded firearm within a means of transportation while on school grounds as an exception to the offense of misconduct involving weapons.
Background
A person commits misconduct involving weapons by knowingly possessing a deadly weapon on school grounds. A school includes a public or nonpublic kindergarten program, common school or high school. School grounds means in, or on the grounds of, a school. A violation is a class 1 misdemeanor, unless the violation occurs in connection with specified additional criminal conduct, in which case it is a class 6 felony.
It is not considered misconduct involving weapons to knowingly possess a deadly weapon on school grounds under limited situations. One of these exceptions is that the firearm is unloaded and is carried within a means of transportation under the control of an adult. If the adult leaves the means of transportation, the firearm must not be visible from the outside and the vehicle must be locked (A.R.S. 13-3102).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Removes, from the exception to misconduct involving weapons for knowingly possessing a deadly weapon on school grounds, the requirement that the firearm must be unloaded while in an adult's means of transportation.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
JUD 2/17/21 DP 6-3-0-0-1
3rd Read 3/3/21 31-28-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 16, 2021
JA/gs