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Idaho committee backs bill removing firearm-storage mandate for foster parents
Summary
The House Health and Welfare Committee voted to send Senate Bill 10-34 to the floor with a “do pass” recommendation; the bill replaces a rule requiring separate locked storage of firearms and ammunition for foster parents with a training requirement on firearm safety.
The House Health and Welfare Committee voted to send Senate Bill 10-34 to the House floor with a “do pass” recommendation after a brief discussion Thursday.
The bill, presented by Representative Judy Boyle, District 9, would move foster-care rules into statute and remove a rule provision the sponsor described as requiring foster parents to “store their firearms and their ammunition separately under lock and key.” Boyle said the rule discouraged people in rural areas from becoming foster parents because law enforcement response can be 20 to 30 minutes away.
“...the rule requires foster parents to store their firearms and their ammunition separately under lock and key. So it basically disarms the people who are foster parents,” Representative Boyle said. Boyle said the bill instead directs the Department of Health and Welfare to provide training videos for foster parents about firearm safety and storage.
Representative McCann asked who would decide exemptions from the training requirement and on what grounds. Boyle responded that “the department would determine that,” and added she did not know the department’s exemption criteria but “would assume if you’ve had a carry concealed weapon or you’ve been around firearms your entire life, you probably already know the basics.”
A motion to send the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation was made and adopted by voice vote; the chair recorded an aye and the motion passed. Senate Bill 10-34 as amended will be carried on the House floor by Representative Boyle.
The committee record does not specify precise exemption criteria or the final text of the training materials; those details would be resolved in subsequent floor consideration or agency implementation.
