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The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Students in Tennessee schools will receive firearm safety training now that Governor Bill Lee has signed legislation expanding the SAVE Act.
House Bill 2882 / Senate Bill 2923, sponsored by Representative Chris Todd (R-Madison County-District 73) and Senator Paul Bailey (R-Sparta-District 15), updates the SAVE Act by adding to the existing mandates for emergency training for severe weather and intruders. The new legislation will add gun safety trainings that cover firearm storage, school safety, and protocols for encountering firearms.
Schools will be required to conduct this training annually, beginning from the earliest grade level as determined by the Department of Education and continuing through the twelfth grade.
Lawmakers say curriculum will be developed in conjunction with the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission. Curriculum will be politically neutral and will not include any actual firearms or ammunition.
Critics have expressed concern that the training was being made mandatory and that parents would not have the option of choosing whether their child attends or not. Proponents have argued that parents do not consent to other emergency trainings either.
The requirement will begin with the 2025-2026 school year.
