Bandera Independent School District Superintendent Gary Bitzkie issued a letter to parents and guardians this week outlining Texas’ new legal requirements for distributing information about the safe storage of firearms in homes.

In the letter dated May 2025, Bitzkie emphasized the importance of secure gun storage to help prevent suicides, unintentional shootings, and mass violence. He noted that in 2021, 4,613 Texans died from gun-related injuries. According to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services, 55% of firearm deaths in 2020 were suicides, and firearms were used in 59% of all suicides statewide.

“Suicide attempts involving firearms have a 90% fatality rate,” Bitzkie wrote. “Restricting access to guns is critical in reducing acts of violence, whether as self-harm or towards others. Acts of mass violence and interpersonal violence often end in suicide.”

The letter highlights provisions of Texas Penal Code 46.13, which makes it a criminal offense to allow a child access to a readily dischargeable firearm. A person can be charged with a Class C misdemeanor if a child gains access due to failure to secure the weapon or due to its placement in a location where access was foreseeable. The offense may escalate to a Class A misdemeanor depending on the circumstances, with penalties including up to a $4,000 fine or one year in jail.

Bitzkie also informed families that the purchase of firearm safety equipment is exempt from Texas Sales and Use Tax. The district provided resources from the Texas Department of Public Safety’s public education campaign on safe storage, directing families to SafeGunStorageTexas.com for additional guidance.

The letter concluded with a reminder to store firearms unloaded in locked containers, with ammunition stored separately.