Relating to trigger locks for firearms, including the establishment of a public safety trigger lock fund and requiring trigger locks on certain firearms, and providing penalties

This bill relates to trigger locks for firearms, including the establishment of a public safety trigger lock fund and requiring trigger locks on certain firearms. The bill establishes a public safety trigger lock fund in the state treasury under the control of the department of public safety (department). The department may receive and accept donations, grants, loans, and contributions from any public or private source for deposit into the trust fund for the purpose of providing free trigger locks to firearms owners. The department shall work with law enforcement agencies of the state, local governments, and other local entities and nonprofit organizations to provide trigger locks at no cost to firearms owners in the state. Current law prohibits any person from storing or leaving a loaded firearm which is not secured by a trigger lock mechanism, placed in a securely locked box or container, or placed in some other location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a minor under the age of 14 years, if such person knows or has reason to believe that a minor under the age of 14 years is likely to gain access to the firearm, the minor lawfully gains access to the firearm without the consent of the minor’s parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, and the minor exhibits the firearm in a public place in an unlawful manner, or uses the firearm unlawfully to cause injury or death to a person. The bill prohibits any person from storing or leaving a loaded or unloaded firearm that is not secured by a trigger lock mechanism, placed in a securely locked box or container, or placed in some other location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a minor under the age of 18 years, if such person knows or has reason to believe that a minor under the age of 18 years is likely to gain access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor’s parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, and the minor lawfully gains access to the firearm without the consent of the minor’s parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor. A violation of the bill is punishable as a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560.