Nevada senators hear bill to shield dealers, law enforcement for voluntary short-term firearm storage to prevent suicides

Assembly members Sandra Howdige and P.K. O'Neil presented Assembly Bill 451 on behalf of its sponsors, telling the Senate Judiciary Committee the bill would encourage voluntary, out-of-home firearm storage by giving civil-liability protections to participating licensed firearm dealers (FFLs) and law enforcement agencies.

The bill, the sponsors said, aims to “create time and space between individuals in crisis and lethal means.” “This bill addresses the critical issue of suicide prevention by facilitating voluntary and temporary firearm storage agreements while providing civil liability protections for licensed firearm dealers and law enforcement agencies who participate in these efforts,” Assemblymember Sandra Howdige said during the hearing. Co-sponsor Assemblyman P.K. O'Neil emphasized the measure is voluntary: “We have stressed the rights of the Second Amendment. We have made it purely voluntary. No record keeping is maintained.”

Supporters called the measure a narrow, pragmatic step intended to increase participation by dealers and expand storage options statewide. Joe Dibble of the Washoe County Suicide Prevention Alliance said delaying access to firearms even for short periods lowers the risk of a fatal attempt: “Temporary secure firearm storage during a time of crisis can save lives and is the safest option for suicide prevention.” Witnesses from the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association, several county sheriff offices, the Armory Project and veteran organizations testified in favor and described operational challenges and liability concerns that discourage dealers from offering voluntary storage.

Sponsors and witnesses cited examples from other states. The sponsors said Louisiana’s similar law increased participating retailers from three to 22 after passage; statistics provided during testimony said Utah, Virginia and Washington reported dozens of voluntary storage registrations in recent years and that the Armory Project had tracked roughly 850 firearms stored for at least 80 individuals in Louisiana and Arkansas since 2021. The sponsors also said federal paperwork requirements that apply to gun purchases (witnesses referenced ATF Form 4473) do not apply to voluntary short-term custody under the bill’s structure.

Committee members pressed sponsors on operational details. Senators asked whether returning a firearm to a person who later harms themself would expose dealers or law enforcement to civil suits. Committee counsel and witnesses discussed “gross negligence” as the statutory threshold that would remove immunity; as described in committee, Nevada case law treats gross negligence as a heightened form of wrongdoing “so great it appears to be a conscious violation of other people's rights to safety.” Sponsors said the initial draft imposed a 21-day hold but that an amendment removed that requirement to make the program more accessible, and that the bill allows either written or oral storage agreements to reduce barriers to use.

Law‑enforcement witnesses described current practice: when someone in the field expresses immediate suicidal ideation and is armed, agencies may establish a legal hold and take custody of the weapon; when no legal hold applies but a person asks voluntarily, departments sometimes struggle with evidence-storage rules and space. Witnesses said the bill would clarify protections and allow agencies to rely on participating FFLs for storage when capacity is limited.

Several licensed dealers and FFL operators told the committee they already do some temporary storage but that liability uncertainty prevents wider participation. Industry witnesses urged passage to expand the network of safe-storage locations and referenced the Armory Project and Washoe County initiatives as models the bill would support.

The committee recorded extensive testimony but no committee vote on AB451 during this hearing. Sponsors submitted a friendly amendment (filed May 5, per testimony) removing the 21-day mandatory hold; they said the amendment had been accepted by both sponsors prior to Q&A. The hearing closed after public and expert testimony; the bill record will remain open for any further filings or amendments.

Ending: With committee members expressing general support and detailed questions about thresholds for liability and operational steps, the Senate Judiciary Committee closed the hearing on AB451 and proceeded to other business. No vote on passage was taken at the hearing.