CASPER, Wyo. — The Natrona County School District 1 Board Policy Committee finalized plans on Monday for training and qualifications related to firearms for employees and volunteers, moving forward with a new policy that aligns with a state law allowing concealed carry on school grounds.
The proposed rule is a response to the Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act, enacted by the Wyoming Legislature. The act, which takes effect July 1, allows Wyoming concealed carry permit holders to lawfully carry a concealed firearm on any property owned or leased by a school district.
The state law authorizes school boards to create rules specifically for their employees and volunteers who choose to conceal carry on district property. That includes establishing training requirements, curricula and instructor qualifications in consultation with local law enforcement.
The committee on Monday reviewed and amended a draft of Board Policy 4020, “Firearms Policy (Concealed Carry): Personnel and Volunteers Authorized to Carry.” The draft they considered is attached at the bottom of this story.
Following extensive discussion and debate, the committee made several decisions regarding the required training hours and instructor criteria for personnel and volunteers authorized to carry firearms:
- Initial Training — Live Fire: The committee voted 3–2 to require 40 hours of live fire handgun training. The decision followed discussions about recommended hours, which varied from 16 to 40. An amendment to reduce the requirement to 20 hours failed. Another amendment to set it at 32 hours also failed. Concerns about training costs, ammunition availability and the need for adequate safety training were discussed. The 40 hours will cover various aspects, including weapon handling and retention, not just shooting.
- Initial Training — Scenario-Based: A motion passed 3–2 for a minimum of 16 hours of scenario-based training, including eight hours for medical training. This training will use non-lethal firearms and live role-players to simulate stressful situations. Experts suggest eight to 16 hours for scenario training, plus eight hours for medical training. An amendment to lower the requirement to eight hours total — four scenario and four medical — failed 3–2. The medical training is equivalent to the American College of Surgeons Stop the Bleed Training or Tactical Medical Training.
- Training Content: The committee unanimously voted to eliminate the requirement for “moving while shooting and tactical procedural training” from the initial training curriculum, based on recommendations that deemed it not useful and potentially problematic.
- Recurrent Training: The committee established that annual recurrent training will involve at least 16 hours total, including eight hours of live fire training and eight hours of scenario-based training. An initial proposal suggested eight hours of live fire and four hours of scenario training, but an amendment to increase the scenario portion to eight hours was accepted, leading to a final motion that passed 3–2.
- Instructor Qualifications: Instructors must have at least five years of relevant experience in law enforcement, military or public safety with daily handgun carry, or show completion of instructor certification courses. The committee voted 3–2 on this requirement. They also voted 4–1 to remove the specific NRA certification requirement, allowing for other certifications or relevant experience instead. The amended overall language for instructor qualifications was approved unanimously.
During the meeting, committee members discussed potential issues surrounding the policy, such as the availability of a state-level account for potential reimbursement of training costs, though the current balance is unknown.
After discussion, the committee moved to advance the draft rule for public comment. A formal public comment session is scheduled for Thursday, May 15. Additional public comment opportunities are planned for June 9 during a regular board meeting, leading up to a hearing July 9 and potential final action by the Board of Trustees on July 14.
Committee Chair Michael Stedillie concluded the meeting by acknowledging the difficulty of the issue but expressed confidence in the committee’s work.
“I never anticipated that this is something that we would’ve had to face, but it came to us and it was ours to face it,” Stedillie said. “I wish we had not had to face this issue, but because we have no choice, you are the people that I want to face this issue with. I know I just ended a sentence with a preposition, but thank you for your hard work.”
