BILL: Should We Regulate the Storage of Firearms? - Ethan's Law - H.R.660

The Bill

H.R.660 - Ethan's Law

Bill Details

• Sponsored by Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.) on Jan. 31, 2023
• Committee: House - Judiciary
• House: Not yet passed
• Senate: Not yet passed
• President: Not yet signed

Bill Overview

• Establishes a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels.
• Establishes statutory requirements for firearms on residential premises to be safely stored in a secure gun storage or safety device if a minor is likely to gain access.
• Twenty-four states have already implemented some form of safe storage or child access prevention laws.
• The bill is named after Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford, Connecticut, who was tragically killed in 2018 when he was unintentionally shot and killed by an unsecured firearm in a neighbor's home. At the time of his death, the firearm was being stored in a Tupperware box in a closet alongside the ammunition and the keys to the gun lock. 
• There are loaded and unlocked guns in the homes of an estimated 4.6 million American minors, killing or injuring eight children or teens every day. Join the newsletter at #SongStrong to keep updated.

What's in the Bill?

Implements firm punishments

• Establishes a $500 fine for each instance in which an individual fails to securely store firearms. If a minor gains access to a firearm, causing injury as a result, the owner of that firearm may be imprisoned for up to five years.
• Any individual who violates the requirements is subject to criminal penalties, and firearms stored in violation of the conditions are subject to seizure and forfeiture.

Reduces gun violence and deaths

• Reduces access to unsupervised firearms, which are often also used in suicides, school shootings, and other acts of violence. 
• In 2020, firearms became the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. Each year, 700 children die by firearm suicide, typically using a gun found at home. 

What Supporters Are Saying

• Ethan's Law is endorsed by over 180 gun violence prevention and law enforcement advocacy groups.
• Rep. DeLauro, the sponsor of the bill, said:

"If this commonsense safety measure had been in place, Ethan Song's needless death could have been prevented. In fact, the lives of thousands could be saved. There is no reason a child should be able to easily access a deadly weapon."

• Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said:

"No one should have to face the unimaginable grief of losing a loved one because of an unsecured firearm. Under Ethan's Law, responsible safe storage requirements will help prevent these senseless, unnecessary deaths and protect the thousands of children living in homes with unsecured guns."

• Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said:

"It's simple – safe gun storage saves lives."

• Kristin Song, Ethan's mother, said:

"Today marks five years since the ER doctor whispered, 'your son is gone,' and my family's world shattered...Our goal in passing Ethan's Law is to create a cultural shift where it becomes second nature for gun owners to secure their weapons if they are not in their immediate control. This law will not stop all the shootings, but it will stop many, and to those children and parents, that is priceless."  

What Opponents Are Saying

• Although not explicitly opposed to Ethan's Law, Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) has been an advocate of looser gun restrictions, both in the home and in public:

"The anti-Second Amendment group won't stop until they take away all your firearms. One rule to remember: any government that would take away one right would take away them all. The Second Amendment is as American a right as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. Second Amendment rights are worth protecting and must not be infringed, and we must send a message that we will meet every attack on any of our constitutional rights."

Tell your reps to support or oppose this bill

-Emma Kansiz

(Photo Credit: Canva)