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Senate approves SB 7 requiring parental permission at purchase of BB and pellet guns
Summary
The Utah Senate passed SB 7 after floor debate and amendments to require written parental permission and parental presence at the time of purchase for air rifles, BB and pellet guns; amendment narrowed criminal exposure to sales/acquisitions and preserved ordinary gifting exceptions.
The Utah Senate passed Senate Bill 7 on a roll-call vote after floor debate and amendments that narrowed the bill's scope.
Sponsor remarks and constituent testimony on the Senate floor described incidents in which minors bought BB or pellet guns without parental knowledge and in one account a child injured a neighborhood girl. The bill, as amended, requires express written permission and the presence of a parent or legal guardian at the time of purchase for air rifles, BB guns and pellet guns; criminal penalties apply to unlawful sale or acquisition to minors under the age threshold specified in the bill.
Proponents said the measure is intended to restore parental awareness and responsibility when a minor acquires an item that can resemble a firearm and cause serious injury, particularly to the eye. An author of the bill urged that requiring parental permission at purchase will make most parents aware and reduce accidental or reckless uses. Opponents raised implementation concerns, especially how retailers would verify supervision and how the law would affect ordinary family gifts or borrowing in rural settings.
Floor amendments removed language that would have made “furnishing” or temporary loans broadly a misdemeanor and limited the criminal offense to sales or transfers at acquisition. Another amendment clarified that the presence of the parent or guardian at the time of purchase is required; sponsors described this as a fix to avoid easy-forged notes while preserving lawful giving in other contexts.
After a division and roll call, the clerk announced 22 ayes, 4 nays and 2 absent; the presiding officer declared the bill passed and that it would be sent to the House for further action.
The Senate record shows supporters including medical professionals who cited eye injuries from pellets, and several senators argued for parental responsibility; opponents cautioned that rural traditions of lending BB guns and practical enforcement at point of sale could create unfair prosecutions or confusion. The final text as adopted narrowed criminal exposure and emphasized notice and parental involvement at purchase.
The Senate's next procedural step is transmittal to the House for consideration.
