Committee Hears Bill Requiring Locked, Concealed Storage for Guns in Homes and Vehicles

House Bill 1152 would require firearms left in vehicles to be stored unloaded in an opaque, locked container affixed within the vehicle, concealed from outside view, and for the vehicle to be locked; pistols must be in hard-sided containers while rifles and shotguns may be in hard- or soft-sided containers. The bill would also require firearms in residences to be securely stored whenever not being carried or readily controlled by the owner or other lawfully authorized user, and it prescribes civil and criminal penalties for violations.

The proposal, presented to the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee on Jan. 21, 2025, would make unsecured storage a civil infraction subject to a $1,000 penalty and escalate criminal penalties when a prohibited person obtains the firearm: misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or class C felony depending on resulting harm. The measure would also expand duties of the…