HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 HJM 4020

                      As Passed House:

                        March 9, 1995

Brief Description:  Encouraging schools to provide an elementary gun safety program.

Sponsors:  Representatives Campbell, Hatfield, Wolfe, B. Thomas, McMorris, Brumsickle, Morris, Radcliff, Elliot, Beeksma, Kessler, Carrell and L. Thomas.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Education:  2/21/95, 2/28/95 [DP].

Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  3/9/95, 96-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 19 members:  Representatives Brumsickle, Chairman; Elliot, Vice Chairman; Johnson, Vice Chairman; Cole, Ranking Minority Member; Poulsen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Clements; Dickerson; G. Fisher; Fuhrman; Hatfield; McMahan; Pelesky; Quall; Radcliff; Smith; Talcott; B. Thomas; Thompson and Veloria.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

Background:  The United States has 60-70 million gun owners who own 200 million or more guns according to statistics of the National Rifle Association.

The National Rifle Association, in cooperation with education professionals and others, has developed a gun safety program designed for children in prekindergarten through sixth grade.  The Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program teaches children to avoid touching and handling guns through the use of workbooks, games, a video, class discussion, and role-playing scenarios.

Summary of Bill:  A memorial is to be sent to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and each school district in the state. 

The memorial encourages school districts to promote the use of the National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program to help prevent firearms accidents among children.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

Testimony For:  The Eddie Eagle Safety Program is an objective, proven, non-biased educational program that teaches children to stay away from guns.  It does not encourage children to use guns.  This bill is not a mandate: we are just encouraging school districts to use the program.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Campbell, prime sponsor (pro); Joe Waldron, Firearms Coalition (pro); Merton Cooper, citizen (pro); and Johanna Palmer, citizen (pro).