House fails to pass bill making improper firearm storage a misdemeanor after hours of debate

A Louisiana House proposal to make unlawfully stored loaded firearms that are accessed by minors a misdemeanor failed on the House floor Tuesday after extended debate and amendments.

Representative Taylor Willard introduced HB 220 as a child-safety measure, saying the state’s unintentional child-shooting rate was the nation’s highest and that “combining safe-storage laws with education” can reduce injuries and deaths. The bill would have required adults to secure loaded firearms or face misdemeanor penalties if a minor obtained the weapon and either discharged it or carried it into a public place.

Supporters said the measure was narrowly targeted and would not strip lawful gun owners of their Second Amendment rights. Representative John Furman, among others, urged colleagues to consider the human cost reflected in the bill’s supporting materials. Opponents warned that the measure left vague terms — such as when a person “reasonably should know” a minor might access a gun — and could be applied unevenly by law enforcement or prosecutors.

Lawmakers amended the bill in committee and on the floor. Chairwoman Nancy Villio and other members negotiated changes that lowered the covered age to 13 and clarified some exceptions, and an amendment specified trigger locks or securely locked containers as acceptable storage. The final version included a seven-day waiting period intended to allow families time to grieve before charges proceed in the most serious cases.

Floor debate repeatedly returned to edge cases: parents who keep a ready firearm at their bedside for home defense, law-enforcement officers who live with children, and situations in which a child takes a legally stored weapon and uses it to repel a home intruder. Members on both sides said they expected prosecutors and police to exercise discretion but disagreed on whether that was a sufficient safeguard.

When the House voted, the bill failed 39–46. Willard said afterward he would continue to work with stakeholders and law-enforcement groups, saying the conversation on child safety must continue.

Why it matters: Louisiana’s rates of unintentional child shootings drew national attention during debate; the bill would have created a misdemeanor-level enforcement option aimed at deterring negligent storage that leads to child access. The vote leaves the state without the new statutory tool supporters sought and keeps the discussion alive for the next session.

What’s next: Willard said he planned to keep pursuing changes and work with law-enforcement and stakeholders to address the concerns raised during floor debate.