Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act
Bill: H.R.130 | Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila (D-TX)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act
This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate the storage of firearms and ammunition on residential premises.
Specifically, the bill requires firearms and ammunition on residential premises to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without permission or if an individual who resides at the residence is ineligible to possess a firearm.
The firearms and ammunition must be safely stored in one of two ways: (1) secured, unloaded, and separated in a safe and locked with a trigger lock; or (2) off the premises at a storage facility or gun range. Safes, trigger locks, and storage facilities must be certified by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Finally, an individual who violates the safe storage requirements is subject to penalties—criminal penalties if the violation results in the discharge of a firearm, or civil penalties if the violation does not result in the discharge of a firearm. Additionally, DOJ must seize and safely store the individual's firearms and ammunition.

To require the safe storage of firearms and ammunition, and to require 
    the investigation of reports of improper storage of firearms or 
                              ammunition.

    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. PROHIBITION ON IMPROPER STORAGE OF FIREARMS OR AMMUNITION.

    (a) In General.--Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(aa)(1)(A) It shall be unlawful for a person to store or keep any 
firearm or ammunition that has moved in, or that has otherwise 
affected, interstate or foreign commerce, on the premises of a 
residence under the control of the person if the person knows, or 
reasonably should know, that--
            ``(i) an individual who has not attained 18 years of age is 
        likely to gain access to the firearm or ammunition without the 
        permission of the parent or guardian of the individual; or
            ``(ii) an individual who resides at the residence is 
        ineligible to possess a firearm under Federal, State, or local 
        law.
    ``(B) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to a person with respect to 
a firearm or ammunition for the firearm if the person keeps the 
firearms and ammunition--
            ``(i) secured, unloaded, and separately, in a safe 
        certified by the Attorney General, and locked with a trigger 
        lock certified by the Attorney General; or
            ``(ii) off the premises at a storage facility, or gun 
        range, certified by the Attorney General.''.
    (b) Penalties.--Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(8)(A)(i) Whoever, in a civil action, is found to have violated 
section 922(aa) with respect to a firearm and the violation is not 
found to have resulted in a discharge of the firearm, shall be fined 
not more than $5,000.
    ``(ii) Whoever, in a criminal action, is found to have violated 
section 922(aa) with respect to a firearm and the violation is found to 
have resulted in a discharge of the firearm, shall be fined not less 
than $50,000 and not more than $100,000, imprisoned not more than 20 
years, or both.
    ``(B) On conviction of a person for violating section 922(aa) with 
respect to a firearm or ammunition, the court shall order the Attorney 
General to seize and store the firearm or ammunition, at the expense of 
the owner of the firearm or ammunition, at a facility that is--
            ``(i) certified by the Attorney General for the safe 
        storage of firearms or ammunition; and
            ``(ii) not owned, leased, or controlled by the person or 
        the owner of the firearm or ammunition or by any person who is 
        a relative of, or is associated with, the person or the 
        owner.''.
    (c) Certification of Safes and Safe Storage Facilities.--Within 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General 
shall provide for the certification of safes and safe storage 
facilities for firearms and ammunition.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (e) Investigation of Reports of Improper Storage of Firearms or 
Ammunition.--Beginning with the effective date of the amendments made 
by this section, the Attorney General, through the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, shall investigate all reports that a 
person is improperly storing a firearm or ammunition.
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