Committee advances bill extending firearm-immunity to government property

The Public Utilities and Energy Committee voted to advance House Bill 534, which would extend to state and local government entities the civil‑immunity treatment currently available to private property owners that allow people to carry firearms on their property.

Representative Ivory, the bill sponsor, told the committee the bill "provides the same incentive to the state and subdivisions" as exists for private property owners and clarified that immunity would not apply when a government actor directed someone to discharge a firearm.

Ivory described the change as a clarification of existing law that recognizes the legislature’s authority to define lawful firearm use. He said the proposal is not intended to protect individuals who discharge firearms; rather, it protects government property owners from being held liable simply because a firearm was present on premises they permit to be carried.

An unidentified speaker (not named on the record) described situations in which governments have faced lawsuits connected to firearm discharges and said the bill would limit suits against government property owners who did not direct or assist a discharge. Committee members asked whether the immunity would apply if an accidental discharge injured others. The sponsor and the unidentified speaker reiterated that the law would not shield the person who fired the weapon.

Representative Peck moved to favorably recommend HB 534 and the committee voted; the chair ruled the motion passed unanimously.

Next steps: HB 534 will move forward according to the legislature’s calendar.