Bills · S 726
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 726Civil actions and liabilityFirearms and explosives
Ethan's Law
INTRO FEB 25· LAST ACTION FEB 25
READING
7MIN
COSPONSORS
40
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it aims to reduce tragic incidents such as accidental shootings, suicides, and crimes involving stolen firearms by ensuring guns are stored safely. If passed, it would establish a national baseline for responsible firearm storage in homes where children or individuals legally barred from owning guns might be present. This could significantly decrease the number of incidents where children accidentally injure themselves or others, or where firearms are used in youth suicides, as unsecured guns are a known risk factor.
Without this law, gun storage practices would continue to vary widely, leaving many communities without consistent protection against the risks of unsecured firearms. Voters should care because it directly addresses public safety concerns by placing a federal responsibility on gun owners to prevent unauthorized access to their weapons, potentially saving lives and reducing the availability of firearms for criminal activities.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Requires gun owners to securely store any firearm on residential premises if they know or should know a minor or an ineligible resident is likely to gain unauthorized access.
This establishes a federal standard for secure gun storage in homes, aiming to prevent accidental shootings, suicides, and gun theft.
PROVISION 02
Imposes a $500 fine for each violation of the secure storage requirement and an enhanced penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment and larger fines if an improperly stored firearm causes injury or death.
These penalties create a strong deterrent to encourage compliance and emphasize the serious consequences of unsafe firearm storage.
PROVISION 03
Creates a federal grant program to assist states and Indian tribes that enact and enforce their own safe storage laws functionally identical to the federal requirement.
This incentivizes states and tribes to adopt similar laws, promoting broader and more consistent implementation of secure gun storage practices nationwide.
PROVISION 04
Provides preferential consideration for Bureau of Justice Assistance discretionary grants to states and Indian tribes that have enacted similar safe storage laws for fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
This offers an additional incentive for states and tribes to adopt secure firearm storage policies, encouraging wider compliance with the bill's intent.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 40
D· Connecticut
YRS IN OFFICE
15
BILLS LED
127
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 38 REP 0 IND 2
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSFEB 25
Introduced in Senate
FEB 25
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 726
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedFeb 25, 2025
Last actionFeb 25, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 25, 2025
Senate BillS 726Civil actions and liabilityFirearms and explosives
Ethan's Law
INTRODUCED FEB 25, 2025· LAST ACTION FEB 25, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
7 min
COSPONSORS
40
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
