H.R. 7591

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7591 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7591

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require 
certain local educational agencies to distribute guidance to students, 
parents, and other local community members regarding firearm safety, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 17, 2026

Mr. Goldman of New York (for himself, Mr. Auchincloss, Mr. Johnson of 
Georgia, Mr. Moskowitz, Mr. Bell, Ms. Norton, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, 
Mrs. Foushee, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Pettersen, Ms. Dean of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Ms. Crockett, Mr. 
Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Craig, and Ms. Kelly of 
Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require 
certain local educational agencies to distribute guidance to students, 
parents, and other local community members regarding firearm safety, 
and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Firearm Storage and Suicide 
Prevention Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Unintentional injuries and suicides related to firearms 
are significant causes death among children and teenagers.
(2) According to the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention--
(A) the annual rate of suicide by firearm in the 
United States increased approximately 11 percent from 
2019 to 2022, with provisional data suggesting that 
2024 may have had the highest rate of gun suicide since 
at least 1968;
(B) nearly 60 percent of all gun-related deaths in 
the United States are suicides;
(C) in 2021, 2022, and 2023, firearm suicides 
accounted for approximately 55 percent of all suicide 
deaths in the United States;
(D) in 2023, an average of 75 individuals in the 
United States died by firearm suicide each day;
(E) in 2023, the third leading cause of death in 
the United States for youth under the age of 18 was 
suicide; and
(F) in both 2022 and 2023, firearms were the 
leading mechanism of death among youth under the age of 
18 in the United States.
(3) According to the Department of Health and Human 
Services, 79 percent of the firearms used in the suicides of 
youth under the age of 18 are the guns of family members.
(4) Suicide attempts involving firearms are almost always 
deadly, with 9 out of 10 firearm suicide attempts resulting in 
death.
(5) Education about the importance of proper secure storage 
of firearms, including the risk of firearm-related suicide 
associated with unsecured weapons, is critical to reducing 
firearm-related unintentional injuries and suicides.
(6) Implementing firearm safety and education on suicide 
prevention can foster a culture of responsible firearm 
ownership and handling, benefitting both individuals and 
communities.
(7) It can take less than 10 minutes between thinking about 
suicide and acting on it. Putting barriers between individuals 
and lethal means in moments of crisis can save lives.
(8) Secure storage of firearms is effective in reducing 
suicide deaths.

SEC. 3. FIREARM SAFETY RESOURCES.

(a) In General.--Part A of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``Subpart 3--Firearm Safety Resources

``SEC. 4131. FIREARM SAFETY BEST PRACTICES.

``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall develop best practices 
relating to the secure storage of firearms and the prevention of 
firearm-related suicide or unintentional injury in consultation with--
``(1) the Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division of 
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;
``(2) the Department of Health and Human Services;
``(3) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
``(4) the National Institutes of Health;
``(5) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services;
``(6) the Department of Homeland Security;
``(7) the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-
Based Practices established under section 2220D of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 665k);
``(8) the Firearms-Toolmarks Unit of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation;
``(9) law enforcement agencies;
``(10) non-profit organizations that--
``(A) have experience in firearm safety and 
education; and
``(B) are not affiliated with the firearm industry 
or lobbyist working on behalf of the firearm industry;
``(11) educators; and
``(12) independent experts in firearm safety and education, 
as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
``(b) Information Required.--The Secretary shall include as part of 
the best practices described in subsection (a) the following 
information:
``(1) How to securely store firearms, including how to use 
secure storage devices.
``(2) How to evaluate and regularly re-evaluate firearm 
safety protocols, including secure storage practices for 
firearms in places were firearms are commonly kept, including 
in homes and motor vehicles.
``(3) The risks associated with the improper use of 
firearms or unsecure storage of firearms, including firearms 
that are not lawfully possessed, and the correlation of such 
factors with suicide or unintentional injury.
``(4) Strategies for preventing unintentional injuries or 
suicides related to the use of firearms.
``(5) How to educate students about the proper steps such 
students should take upon encountering an unsecured firearm, 
including to not handle the firearm and to contact a trusted 
adult.
``(6) How community members, including parents, can acquire 
secure storage devices, including any resources that provide 
secure storage devices for free.
``(7) A summary of Federal laws directly related to firearm 
safety and secure firearm storage, including information about 
the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
``(8) A survey of State laws and programs related to 
firearm safety, including laws related to the secure storage of 
firearms and the implementation of State crisis intervention 
court proceedings and related programs or initiatives.
``(9) Firearm safety resources created by academic 
institutions or organizations with experience in firearm safety 
and education, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
``(10) Any other information determined appropriate by the 
Secretary.
``(c) Neutrality Requirement.--In developing the best practices 
described in subsection (a), the Secretary may not include as part of 
such best practices materials encouraging or discouraging the 
possession or ownership of firearms.
``(d) Distribution.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
shall--
``(1) distribute the best practices described in subsection 
(a) to each local educational agency;
``(2) notify each covered local education agency of the 
local firearm safety guidance requirements under section 4132; 
and
``(3) provide guidance to each covered local education 
agency regarding the most effective time during an academic 
year to satisfy the distribution requirement under section 
4132(e) in order to maximize the prevention of firearm-related 
suicide or unintentional injury.
``(e) Update.--Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment 
of this section, and once every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary 
shall--
``(1) solicit feedback from school staff, students, 
parents, and experts with experience in firearm safety and 
education on the best practices described in subsection (a); 
and
``(2) update the information in such best practices, as 
determined appropriate by the Secretary.

``SEC. 4132. LOCAL FIREARM SAFETY GUIDANCE.

``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the Secretary 
distributes the best practices described in section 4131(a) as required 
under section 4131(d)(1), each covered local educational agency shall 
develop guidance relating to the secure storage of firearms and the 
prevention of firearm-related suicide or unintentional injury in 
consultation with--
``(1) community-based health and violence prevention 
organizations;
``(2) public safety officials and emergency personnel, 
including police and firefighters;
``(3) mental health professionals, including doctors and 
psychologists;
``(4) educators; and
``(5) any other stakeholders determined appropriate by the 
local educational agency.
``(b) Relationship to Best Practices.--In developing the guidance 
described in subsection (a), each covered local educational agency 
shall--
``(1) incorporate the best practices distributed to the 
covered local educational agency as required under section 
4131(d)(1);
``(2) modify such best practices to be relevant to the 
local community, as determined appropriate by the covered local 
educational agency; and
``(3) regularly update such guidance to reflect any changes 
to such best practices, as determined appropriate by the 
covered local educational agency.
``(c) Additional Information.--Each covered local educational 
agency shall include as part of such guidance the following 
information:
``(1) Mental health resources available to students, 
including resources available in schools served by the covered 
local educational agency and resources provided by the local 
community.
``(2) Any other information determined appropriate by the 
covered local educational agency.
``(d) Neutrality Requirement.--In developing the guidance described 
in subsection (a), each covered local educational agency may not 
include as part of such guidance materials encouraging or discouraging 
the possession or ownership of firearms.
``(e) Distribution.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
beginning of the 2027-2028 academic year, and not later than 90 
days before the end of each academic year thereafter, each 
covered local educational agency shall distribute the guidance 
described in subsection (a) through email and physical means 
(including by sending students home with such guidance as a 
handout or by mail) to--
``(A) students;
``(B) parents;
``(C) school staff; and
``(D) any other members of the local community 
determined appropriate by the covered local educational 
agency.
``(2) Responsibility.--A covered local educational agency 
may delegate responsibility for carrying out any part of the 
distribution activities required under paragraph (1) to the 
schools served by such covered local educational agency.

``SEC. 4133. DEFINITIONS.

``In this subpart:
``(1) Covered local educational agency.--The term `covered 
local educational agency' means a local educational agency, or 
consortium of such agencies, that receives an allocation under 
section 4105(a).
``(2) Secure storage device.--The term `secure storage 
device' means a device which is designed to prevent 
unauthorized access to, or render inoperable, a firearm, 
including a firearm safe, lock box, trigger lock, or cable 
lock.
``(3) School staff.--The term `school staff' means--
``(A) school leaders;
``(B) specialized instructional support personnel;
``(C) teachers; and
``(D) other staff.''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 2 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 4121 the following:

``subpart 3--firearm safety resources

``4131. Firearm safety best practices.
``4132. Local firearm safety guidance.
``4133. Definitions.''.
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