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House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	February 11, 2016 08:44 AM
From:	Representative Leslie Acosta
To:	All House members
Subject:	Firearms: Safe Storage for Gun Safety Package

In the near future, I will be introducing four bills that will amend Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes and which, together, will constitute the Safe Storage for Gun Safety Package. This package offers common sense measures to keep guns out of the hands of our children and out of the hands of dangerous individuals. It is my belief that all firearms should be stored safely in Pennsylvania so they are kept out of the hands of children and dangerous individuals. The Safe Storage for Gun Safety package of bills will make our communities safer, and I ask that you join me in trying to prevent future gun violence and accidental deaths in the Commonwealth.

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Document #1

Description:

My first proposal will require a gun owner who resides with a person who is not legally able to possess a firearm in Pennsylvania to secure the firearm with a trigger, chamber, or cable lock or in a securely locked container when not under the owner’s direct control.  Dangerous individuals such as violent criminals, drug abusers, domestic abusers, and the violently mentally ill are prohibited from owning firearms, and therefore should not be given easy access to the weapons simply because they reside with a responsible gun owner.

Document #2

Description:

My next proposal will place the same safety requirements on a gun owner if a minor is present in the home.  Millions of children in the United States live in homes with easily accessible firearms, and approximately one in three handguns is kept loaded and unlocked, with most children knowing the location of their parents’ guns.  A 1999 study found that more than 75 percent of guns used in youth suicide attempts and unintentional injuries were stored in the residence of the victim, a relative, or a friend.  Furthermore, at least two studies have found that the risk of suicide increases in homes where guns are kept loaded or unlocked.

Document #3

Description:

My third measure will require all gun owners to store their firearms in a locked container or with a trigger, chamber, or cable lock when the weapon is not under the owner’s direct control.  According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the presence of unlocked guns in the home increases the risk of both unintentional gun injuries and intentional shootings.  This bill will ensure every gun in Pennsylvania is stored properly when not in use.

Document #4

Description:	The final bill in my package will help facilitate the other three proposals by requiring a licensed gun dealer to provide or sell a trigger, chamber, or cable locking device or a securely locked container with the purchase of any firearm.