[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4965 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4965
To create and disseminate best practices regarding safe firearm
storage, to create a grant program for the distribution of safe storage
devices, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 27, 2023
Ms. Jackson Lee (for herself, Mr. Schneider, Ms. Adams, Mrs. Beatty,
Mr. Bera, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Brown,
Ms. Brownley, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Carson, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr.
Casar, Mr. Casten, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Clarke of New York,
Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Davis of
Illinois, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Mr. Doggett, Ms. Escobar, Ms.
Eshoo, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Evans, Mrs. Fletcher, Mrs. Foushee, Mr.
Frost, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr.
Grijalva, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Ivey, Mr. Jackson of Illinois,
Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Mr. Keating, Ms. Kelly of
Illinois, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Landsman, Ms.
Lee of California, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Lynch, Ms.
Manning, Ms. Matsui, Mrs. McBath, Ms. McClellan, Ms. McCollum, Mr.
Meeks, Mr. Mfume, Mr. Mrvan, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Neguse, Ms. Norton, Mr.
Payne, Mr. Phillips, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Plaskett, Ms. Pressley, Mr.
Ruppersberger, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms.
Sewell, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Soto, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Thompson
of Mississippi, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Torres of New
York, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Wild, Ms. Williams of Georgia, and Mr. Thompson
of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To create and disseminate best practices regarding safe firearm
storage, to create a grant program for the distribution of safe storage
devices, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe
Storage Act''.
SEC. 2. BEST PRACTICES FOR SAFE FIREARM STORAGE.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall establish
voluntary best practices relating to safe firearm storage
solely for the purpose of public education.
(2) Public notice; hearing.--The Attorney General shall
give not less than 90 days public notice, and shall afford
interested parties opportunity for hearing, before establishing
the best practices.
(b) Requirements.--In establishing the best practices under
subsection (a), the Attorney General shall outline the best practices
for preventing firearm loss, theft, and other unauthorized access for
the following locations:
(1) Businesses.
(2) Vehicles.
(3) Private homes.
(4) Off-site storage facilities.
(5) Any other place about which the Attorney General deems
appropriate to provide such guidance.
(c) Publication.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall publish, in print and
on a public website, the best practices established under subsection
(a), and shall review and update the best practices not less often than
annually.
SEC. 3. PROMOTION OF SAFE FIREARM STORAGE.
(a) In General.--Section 923 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(m) Beginning January 1, 2025, a licensed manufacturer or
licensed importer that serializes not fewer than 250 firearms annually
pursuant to subsection (i) shall provide with each manufactured or
imported handgun, rifle, or shotgun a clear and conspicuous written
notice that--
``(1) is attached or adhered to, or appears on or within
any packaging of, the handgun, rifle, or shotgun; and
``(2) states `SAFE STORAGE SAVES LIVES' followed by the
address of the public website established by the Attorney
General pursuant to section 2 of the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm
Safe Storage Act.''.
SEC. 4. SAFE STORAGE DEVICES FOR ALL FIREARM SALES.
(a) In General.--Section 922(z) of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``handgun'' each place it appears and inserting
``handgun, rifle, or shotgun''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 5. SAFE FIREARM STORAGE GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Attorney General may award grants to States
and Indian Tribes for the development, implementation, and evaluation
of Safe Firearm Storage Assistance Programs.
(b) Application Requirements.--Each applicant for a grant under
this section shall--
(1) submit to the Attorney General an application at such
time, in such a manner, and containing such information as the
Attorney General may require; and
(2) to the extent practicable, identify State, local,
Tribal, and private funds available to supplement the funds
received under this section.
(c) Reporting Requirements.--
(1) Grantee report.--
(A) In general.--A recipient of a grant under this
section shall submit to the Attorney General an annual
report that includes the following information:
(i) The amount distributed to each Safe
Firearm Storage Assistance Program in the
jurisdiction of the grant recipient.
(ii) The number of safe firearm storage
devices distributed by each such Safe Firearm
Storage Assistance Program.
(B) Prohibition.--A recipient of a grant under this
section shall not include in a report under
subparagraph (A) any personally identifying information
of a recipient of a safe firearms storage device
pursuant to a Safe Firearm Storage Assistance Program
funded under this section.
(2) Attorney general report.--Beginning 13 months after the
date grants are first awarded under this section, and annually
thereafter, the Attorney General shall submit to the Congress a
report that includes the following:
(A) A list of grant recipients during the preceding
year, including the funds awarded, cumulatively and
disaggregated by grantee.
(B) The information submitted pursuant to paragraph
(1).
(d) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General to carry out this
section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2034, to
remain available until expended.
(e) Use of Funds.--A grantee to which funds are awarded under this
section--
(1) shall use not less than 75 percent of the funds to
create or to provide resources for Safe Firearm Storage
Assistance Programs in the jurisdiction of the grantee; and
(2) may make available to nonprofit organizations not more
than 25 percent of the funds to partner with units of local
government to purchase and distribute safe firearm storage
devices.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Safe firearm storage device.--The term ``safe firearm
storage device'' means a device that--
(A) is designed and marketed for the principal
purpose of denying unauthorized access to, or rendering
inoperable, a firearm or ammunition;
(B) is secured by a combination lock, key lock, or
lock based on biometric information; and
(C) once locked, is incapable of being opened
without the combination, key, or biometric information,
respectively.
(2) Safe firearm storage assistance program.--The term
``Safe Firearm Storage Assistance Program'' means a program--
(A) carried out by a unit of local government or an
Indian tribe; and
(B) solely for the purpose of acquiring and
distributing safe firearm storage devices to the
public.
<all>