POSSESSION OF FIREARM ON SCHOOL PROPERTY

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession on any public or private school property or while in any school bus or vehicle used by any school for transportation of students or teachers any firearm or weapon designated in Section 1272 of this title, except as provided in subsection C of this section or as otherwise authorized by law.

B. For purposes of this section:

1. "School property" means any publicly owned property held for purposes of elementary, secondary or vocational-technical education, and shall not include property owned by public school districts or where such property is leased or rented to an individual or corporation and used for purposes other than educational;

2. "Private school" means a school that offers a course of instruction for students in one or more grades from prekindergarten through grade twelve and is not operated by a governmental entity; and

3. "Motor vehicle" means any automobile, truck, minivan or sports utility vehicle.

C. Firearms and weapons are allowed on school property and deemed not in violation of subsection A of this section as follows:

1. A gun or knife designed for hunting or fishing purposes kept in a privately owned vehicle and properly displayed or stored as required by law, provided such vehicle containing said gun or knife is driven onto school property only to transport a student to and from school and such vehicle does not remain unattended on school property;

2. A gun or knife used for the purposes of participating in the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation certified hunter training education course or any other hunting, fishing, safety or firearms training courses, or a recognized firearms sports event, team shooting program or competition, or living history reenactment, provided the course or event is approved by the principal or chief administrator of the school where the course or event is offered, and provided the weapon is properly displayed or stored as required by law pending participation in the course, event, program or competition;

3. Weapons in the possession of any peace officer or other person authorized by law to possess a weapon in the performance of his or her duties and responsibilities;

4. A concealed or unconcealed weapon carried onto private school property or in any school bus or vehicle used by any private school for transportation of students or teachers by a person who is licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, provided a policy has been adopted by the governing entity of the private school that authorizes the possession of a weapon on private school property or in any school bus or vehicle used by a private school. Except for acts of gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct, a governing entity of a private school that adopts a policy which authorizes the possession of a weapon on private school property, a school bus or vehicle used by the private school shall be immune from liability for any injuries arising from the adoption of the policy. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to claims pursuant to the Workers' Compensation Code;

5. A gun, knife, bayonet or other weapon in the possession of a member of a veterans group, the national guard, active military, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) or Junior ROTC, in order to participate in a ceremony, assembly or educational program approved by the principal or chief administrator of a school or school district where the ceremony, assembly or educational program is being held; provided, however, the gun or other weapon that uses projectiles is not loaded and is inoperable at all times while on school property;

6. A handgun carried in a motor vehicle pursuant to a valid handgun license authorized by the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act onto property set aside by a public or private elementary or secondary school for the use or parking of any vehicle; provided, however, said handgun shall be stored and hidden from view in a locked motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is left unattended on school property; and

7. A handgun carried onto public school property by school personnel who have been designated by the board of education, provided such personnel either:

a.possess a valid armed security guard license as provided for in Section 1750.1 et seq. of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or

b.hold a valid reserve peace officer certification as provided for in Section 3311 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

if a policy has been adopted by the board of education of the school district that authorizes the carrying of a handgun onto public school property by such personnel. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to restrict authority granted elsewhere in law to carry firearms.

D. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not to exceed Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00).

Added by Laws 1992, c. 170, § 3, emerg. eff. May 5, 1992. Amended by Laws 1992, c. 286, § 2, emerg. eff. May 25, 1992; Laws 1995, c. 272, § 35, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Laws 1996, c. 191, § 5, emerg. eff. May 16, 1996; Laws 1997, c. 133, § 325, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex. Sess., c. 5, § 220, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2003, c. 465, § 2, eff. July 1, 2003; Laws 2012, c. 259, § 8, eff. Nov. 1, 2012; Laws 2013, c. 344, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2014, c. 10, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2014, c. 325, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2015, c. 310, § 2, emerg. eff. May 12, 2015.

NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 325 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.