Establishing a mental health firearm safety fund

This bill establishes a mental health firearm safety fund (fund) under the control of the department of health and human services (HHS) to be funded with moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys available to and obtained or accepted by HHS for placement in the fund. The bill allows HHS to use moneys in the fund to award grants to organizations for the purposes of training staff at a firearms retailer or a firearm range on how to recognize signs that a person may be considering suicide; providing suicide prevention materials for distribution at a firearms retailer or a firearm range; or providing voluntary, temporary firearm storage for the lawful owner of a firearm who is or may be experiencing a mental health emergency. The bill limits annual awards from the fund to $5,000 per recipient organization per fiscal year. The bill requires HHS, when awarding grants from the fund, to give preference to organizations or coalitions of organizations that have not previously received a grant from the fund. §5304, including any subdivision, subsidiary, or business enterprise wholly owned by such an Indian tribe.