Lethal Means Safe Storage for Veteran Suicide Prevention Act

Bill: 118-s-4929
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
Introduced: 2024-08-01
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2024-08-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4929 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES August 1, 2024 Mr. King introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To improve lethal means safety training and education conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Lethal Means Safe Storage for Veteran Suicide Prevention Act . 2. Update on policy of Department of Veterans Affairs for lethal means safety (a) In general Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall update the policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to lethal means safety and suicide prevention to require each health care provider of the Veterans Health Administration that is required to receive training on lethal means safety and suicide prevention to receive such training not less frequently than annually. (b) Immediate receipt of training The Secretary shall ensure that each health care provider of the Veterans Health Administration who has not received training on lethal means safety and suicide prevention during the one-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act receives such training not later than 120 days after such date of enactment. (c) Community care providers (1) In general The Secretary shall ensure that a health care provider, as a condition of serving as a health care provider under the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code, shall receive training on lethal means safety and suicide prevention not less frequently than annually. (2) Immediate receipt of training The Secretary shall ensure that a health care provider under the Veterans Community Care Program who has not received training on lethal means safety and suicide prevention during the one-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act receives such training not later than 120 days after such date of enactment. (d) Health care provider of the Veterans Health Administration defined In this section, the term health care provider of the Veterans Health Administration means a full-time, part-time, or intermittent employee of the Veterans Health Administration— (1) engaged in patient care as a physician, psychologist, registered nurse, social worker, physician assistant, pharmacist, or dentist; or (2) serving in the capacity of case manager or as a team leader or counselor at a Vet Center (as defined in section 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code). 3. Public education campaign of Department of Veterans Affairs on lethal means safety (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall coordinate with veterans service organizations to carry out public education campaigns for veterans related to lethal means safety and safe storage options. (b) Matters To be included Public education campaigns under subsection (a) shall focus on— (1) suicide prevention; (2) communicating why health care providers may ask about access to lethal means (including firearms and medications); (3) communicating the importance of planning ahead to put space and time between thoughts of self-harm and access to lethal means; and (4) communicating the importance of secure storage of firearms. (c) Veterans service organization defined In this section, the term veterans service organization means any organization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code. 4. Grant program of Department of Veterans Affairs on lethal means safety (a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a grant program to award grants to entities specified in subsection (b) for the purpose of distributing gun lock boxes or gun safes to veterans. (b) Entities specified The entities specified in this subsection are the following: (1) States. (2) Veterans service organizations. (3) Nonprofit organizations. (4) Indian tribes. (c) Amount of grants (1) Total amount The total amount of grants awarded under this section may not exceed $2,000,000. (2) Individual grants An entity specified in subsection (b) may receive a grant under this section in an amount not to exceed $100,000. (d) Use of grant amounts Grant amounts awarded under this section shall be used to provide free gun lock boxes or gun safes to veterans. (e) Collection of information An entity awarded a grant under this section may not— (1) collect names or personal information of any veteran seeking a gun lock box or gun safe under this section; or (2) inquire about the gun ownership of any such veteran. (f) Confirmation of veteran status If a veteran presents to an entity awarded a grant under this section the Department of Defense Form 214 for such veteran or another approved method of confirming their veteran status, that shall be sufficient proof of eligibility for a gun lock box or gun safe under this section. (g) Limitation on number of grants (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), not more than one grant may be awarded under this section in each Veterans Integrated Service Network. (2) Additional funding Additional grants may be awarded under this section within a Veterans Integrated Service Network if the Secretary determines that additional amounts are available, with priority given to Veterans Integrated Service Networks with the highest rates of suicide by firearm among veterans. (h) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to— (1) authorize or require the collection of personal identifiable information of recipients of gun lock boxes or gun safes for the purpose of tracking firearms ownership; (2) require veterans to register firearms with the Department of Veterans Affairs; (3) require mandatory firearm storage for veterans participating in the grant program under this section; or (4) consider a veteran participating in the grant program under this section a prohibited person under section 922(g) of title 18, United States Code. (i) Definitions In this section: (1) Gun lock box; gun safe The terms gun lock box and gun safe mean a lock box or safe, as the case may be— (A) intended to be used for the secure storage of a firearm; (B) designed and marketed to deny unauthorized access to, or render inoperable, a firearm or ammunition, and secured by a combination, key, or biometric lock; (C) that may be unlocked only by means of a combination, key, or other similar means; (D) that complies with the standards set forth by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International); and (E) is manufactured in the United States. (2) Veterans service organization The term veterans service organization means any organization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code. (j) Authorization of appropriations (1) In general There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030 to carry out this section. (2) Supplement not supplant Amounts appropriated pursuant to an authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) shall supplement, not supplant, existing suicide prevention funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs.