9-A.  Students expelled or suspended under the requirements of the federal Gun-Free Schools Act. The school boards shall adopt a policy for expelling a student who is determined to have brought a firearm, as defined in 18 United States Code, Section 921, to school or to have possessed a firearm at school and for referring the matter to the appropriate local law enforcement agency.

• A. A student who is determined to have brought a firearm to school or to have possessed a firearm at school under this subsection must be expelled from school for a period of not less than one year, except that the school board may authorize the superintendent to modify the requirement for expulsion of a student on a case-by-case basis. A decision to change the placement of a student with a disability must be made in accordance with the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 United States Code, Section 1400 et seq.
• B. Nothing in this subsection prevents a school board from:
• 1) Offering instructional activities related to firearms or from allowing a firearm to be brought to school for instructional activities sanctioned by the school board and for which the school board has adopted appropriate safeguards to ensure student safety; or
• 2) Providing educational services in an alternative setting to a student who has been expelled.
• C. In accordance with the proper investigation and due process provisions required in subsection 9, a principal may suspend immediately for good cause a student who is determined to have brought a firearm to school or to have possessed a firearm at school under this subsection.

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.

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.

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.

3. Penalty. A person who violates this section is guilty of a Class E crime.