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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 27, 2022 10:11 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Darisha K. Parker |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Joint Parental Liability for a Minor’s Actions Committed with a Firearm |
| According to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, up to 90% of guns used by minors in suicides, unintentional shootings, and school shootings are found in the child’s home or the home of a relative. Firearm owners are too rarely held accountable for permitting children to access firearms in situations where the child then uses the firearm to commit a crime. There needs to be penalties for ignoring basic safety and providing children with weapons if those weapons are then used in a crime. For this reason, I am introducing legislation that would hold parents and guardians of minors under the age of 18 criminally and civilly responsible for any negligence or willful misconduct of a child who uses or possesses a firearm that the parent or guardian permits them to use or possess. This legislation would only apply to parents and guardians if they know that the minor has a criminal history or is likely to use the firearm in a crime. With school shootings on the rise across the country, we need to make sure that parents and guardians are being responsible firearm owners and not allowing minors to access firearms when signs are present that the minor may use the firearm for acts of violence. Please join me in better protecting our children and our communities as we work to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands. |
Introduced as HB941
Memo Updated: December 27, 2022 10:12 AM