1. Prohibition. A person may not possess a firearm on public school property or the property of an approved private school or discharge a firearm within 500 feet of public school property or the property of an approved private school.
2. Exceptions. The provisions under subsection 1 do not apply to the following.
A. The prohibition on the possession and discharge of a firearm does not apply to law enforcement officials. [PL 2009, c. 614, §3 (RPR).]
B. The prohibition on the possession of a firearm does not apply to the following persons, if the possession is authorized by a written policy adopted by the school board: (1) A person who possesses an unloaded firearm for use in a supervised educational program approved and authorized by the school board and for which the school board has adopted appropriate safeguards to ensure student safety; and (2) A person who possesses an unloaded firearm that is stored inside a locked vehicle in a closed container, a zipped case or a locked firearms rack while the person is attending a hunter's breakfast or similar event that: (a) Is held during an open firearm season established under Title 12, Part 13 for any species of wild bird or wild animal; (b) Takes place outside of regular school hours; and (c) Is authorized by the school board. [PL 2009, c. 614, §3 (RPR).]
(1) A person who possesses an unloaded firearm for use in a supervised educational program approved and authorized by the school board and for which the school board has adopted appropriate safeguards to ensure student safety; and
(2) A person who possesses an unloaded firearm that is stored inside a locked vehicle in a closed container, a zipped case or a locked firearms rack while the person is attending a hunter's breakfast or similar event that: (a) Is held during an open firearm season established under Title 12, Part 13 for any species of wild bird or wild animal; (b) Takes place outside of regular school hours; and (c) Is authorized by the school board. [PL 2009, c. 614, §3 (RPR).]
(a) Is held during an open firearm season established under Title 12, Part 13 for any species of wild bird or wild animal;
(b) Takes place outside of regular school hours; and
(c) Is authorized by the school board. [PL 2009, c. 614, §3 (RPR).]
C. The prohibition on possession and discharge of a firearm does not apply to a person possessing a firearm at a school-operated gun range or a person discharging a firearm as part of a school-sanctioned program at a school-operated gun range if the gun range and the program are authorized by a written policy adopted by the school's governing body. [PL 2009, c. 614, §3 (NEW).]
3. Penalty. A person who violates this section is guilty of a Class E crime.